TNAG-1338-FCO40-1770-Visit-by-Margaret-Thatcher--UK-Prime-Minister--to-Beijing-fo-1984 — Page 128

Dew Charles,

CONFIDENTIAL

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

London SW1A 2AH

ট

HKD

91

14 November 1984

HICK 040/57.

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

من

Cr 151

16 NOV 1984

DESK OFFKP

INDEX

FA

Visit of the Prime Minister to Peking and Hong Kong

We have now received a reply from the Chinese to our proposals about the visit by the Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary to Peking, and have also received the Governor's proposals for the Hong Kong leg. The Ambassador in Peking has been told that Premier Zhao Ziyang would warmly welcome the Prime Minister on the dates which we have proposed (although he would have preferred a longer visit). The purpose of this letter is to seek the Prime Minister's views on the arrangements for the two visits.

A

Programme for Peking

The Prime Minister will arrive in Peking late on 19 December. Following our exchanges with the Chinese it is now possible to envisage a programme for the day of 20 December on the following lines:

Early morning

Late morning?

Middle of day

Afternoon

Evening

Welcoming ceremony and review of honour guard in Tiananmen Square.

Thereafter signature ceremony. Prime Minister and Zhao Ziyang to sign agreement (possibly attended by President Li Xiannian).

Call on Chairman Deng Xiaoping.

Possible lunch given by President Li Xiannian.

Talks with Premier Zhao Ziyang

Banquet given by Zhao Ziyang.

B

The Ambassador advises that even if there is a lunch given by President Li Xiannian we should accept that the banquet in the evening should also be given by the Chinese side. In view of the very short duration of the Prime Minister's visit, we do not think that any difficulty would be caused by the fact that the Prime Minister did not offer a meal.

/The

CONFIDENTIAL