TNAG-1256-FCO40-1589-Third-countries-and-the-future-of-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 199

10% KOREA

ANDERSON SAID, FOR UK EARS ONLY, THAT THEY WOULD BE INTERESTED TO EXPLORE FURTHER SOME INTERESTING REMARKS WHICH DENG XIAOPING D MADE TO WEINBERGER ABOUT KOREA, IN WHICH HE HAD EXPRESSED INTEREST IN THE UNITED STATES AND CHINA PLAYING SOME KIND OF JOINT ROLE TO LOWER TENSION ON THE PENINSULA. DENG HAD REFERRED TO THE PARALLEL WITH GERMANY WHICH COMPRISED ONE NATION AND TWO STATES. THE US HAD RESPONSIBILITY FOR ONE SIDE AND CHINA,

ANDERSON NOTED THAT IN ADDITION TO HE IMPLIED FOR THE OTHER PURSUING ACTIVIELY THEIR HIGH LEVEL CONTACTS WITH NORTH KOREA, AND APPARENTLY COMING TO TERMS WITH THE SUCCESSION OF KIM JONG-IL, THE CHINESE HAD BEEN ADOPTING A MORE PRAGMATIC ATTITUDE TOWARDS CONTACTS WITH SOUTH KOREA.

HE THOUGHT DENG'S COMMENT REFLECTED AN AS YET HALF THOUGHT OUT PROPOSAL, BUT SHOWED THE PRIMARY CHINESE INTEREST IN MAINTAINING STABILITY ON THE KOREAN PENINSULAR.

11. COMMENT

ALTHOUGH THE PRESS PLAYED UP THE COOLNESS OF THE INITIAL CHINESE RECEPTION OF WEINBERGER, THE MERE FACT THAT THE VISIT TOOK PLACE IS A CONCRETE SIGN OF THEIR WISH TO IMPROVE RELATIONS

WITH THE UNITED STATES AND THEIR WILLINGNESS TO PURSUE A DEGREE OF MILITARY COOPERATION, ALBEIT LIMITED, DESPITE FUNDAMENTAL DIFFERENCES OVER TAIWAN. THAT THEY AGREED TO ANNOUNCE THE VISITS

BY ZHAO ZIYANG AND PRESIDENT REAGAN, AND THREW IN AN EXTRA VISIT

BY ZHANG AIPING HIMSELF TO THE UNITED STATES NEXT FEBRUARY FOR

GOOD MEASURE, IS A STRONG SIGNAL TO THE RUSSIANS OF WHERE THEY

STAND RELATIVE TO THE TWO SUPERPOWERS. THE CONTRAST WITH THE

RESULTS OF KAPITSA'S LATEST MISSION TO PEKING, COMING SO SOON

AFTER THE KAL INCIDENT IS THOUGHT BY SOME HERE TO HAVE

CONTRIBUTED TO THE RUSSIAN FEELING OF ISOLATION AND FRUSTRATION.

IN ADDITION THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE VISITS CONTAINS A SIGNAL

ΤΟ ΤΑΙΡΕΙ.

12. IN DOMESTIC POLITICAL TERMS, THE PRESIDENTIAL VISIT TO PEKING,

PROVIDED IT GOES SMOOTHLY, IS LIKELY TO BE A MILD PLUS FOR THE PRESIDENT, IF HE RUNS. AND ITS ATTRACTION IS GREATER IN THE ABSENCE OF OTHER BRIGHT SPOTS IN US FOREIGN POLICY AT THE MOMENT. NOTWITHSTANDING THE DEEP AMERICAN COMMITMENT TO TAIWAN, THERE

IS STILL SOME POPULAR MILEAGE TO BE HAD IN STAYING FRIENDS

HCHINA, AND WALKING ON THE GREAT WALL.