CONFIDENTIAL
(A) BRITISH AEROSPACE 146 AIRCRAFT.
A BAE NEGOTIATING TEAM WILL
BE IN PEKING THIS WEEK AND IT IS CONCEIVABLE THAT CAAC WILL WISH TO PURCHASE A NUMBER OF THESE AIRCRAFT. IF SO IT IS ALSO POSSIBLE THAT SOMETHING COULD BE SIGNED BEFORE THE END OF THE
YEAR.
(B) AVELING BARFORD. THIS COMPANY HAS ALREADY SIGNED (BUT DELIBERATELY NOT ANNOUNCED IN CASE THE PRIME MINISTER WOULD WISH TO) A CONTRACT FOR A 10 MILLION US DOLLAR SALE OF 92 DUMP TRUCKS TO THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS AND IS CURRENTLY NEGOTIATING A MUCH LARGER TRANSFER OF TECHNOLOGY DEAL WITH OTHER CHINESE ORGANISATIONS. THIS INVOLVES BETWEEN 700 AND 1200 DUMP TRUCK UNITS, VALUED AT BETWEEN US 60 AND 100 MILLION.
(C) PINGGUO ALUMINIUM. SH GNATURE OF AN AGREEMENT FOR A FEASIBILITY STUDY BY WIMPEY COULD BE ACHIEVED BY THE END OF THE YEAR.
(D) TANGSHAN COALMINE. FOLLOWING THE NCB FEASIBILITY STUDY, OPPORTUNITIES FOR UK EQUIPMENT SUPPLIERS MAY REQUIRE MINISTERIAL SUPPORT.
10. SEE NO ADVANTAGE IN BRIEFING THE PRIME MINISTER TO SEEK A CHINESE VIEW ABOUT A JOINT COMMISSION. THE CHINESE WOULD ALMOST CERTAINLY REPLY THAT THEY ARE READY FOR A JOINT COMMISSION AND THAT IT HIS FOR US TO DECIDE WHETHER WE WANT ONE. A RELEVANT POINT HERE IS THAT, WITH THE DEVOLUTION OF DECISION-MAKING IN CHINA, THE ABILITY OF CHINESE MINISTRIES POLITICALLY TO DIRECT PROCUREMENT DECISIONS IS BEING UNDERMINED: ONE ARGUMENT IN FAVOUR OF JOINT COMMISSIONS MAY THEREFORE BE LOSING SOME WEIGHT.
11. DEFENSIVE BRIEFING WILL BE NEEDED ON COCOM AND THE GATT.
(19/11+)
CLAIMS
12. THINK THAT THE PRIME MINISTER SHOULD PRESS THE CHINESE TO SPEED UP THEIR EXAMINATION OF OUR LIST OF CLAIMS. SHE COULD SAY THAT, NOW THAT THE HONG KONG NEGOTIATION HAS BEEN SUCCESSFULLY CONCLUDED, WE SHOULD LIKE TO SEE AN EARLY SETTLEMENT OF THIS OTHER BILATERAL ISSUE LEFT OVER FROM HISTORY.
(IV) CIVIL AVIATION
13. TIME PERMITTING,
•
RECOMMEND THAT THE PRIME MINISTER SHOULD PRESS FOR A ONE YEAR EXTENSION FROM 16 JANUARY 1985, OF BA RIGHTS ON THE PEKING ROUTE AND FOR CPA TO BE GIVEN ONE THIRD OF THE TRAFFIC ON THE HONG KONG-SHANGHAI: ROUTE AS PROVIDED FOR IN THE 1979 CONFIDENTIAL MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING ON REGIONAL ROUTES.
(V) SHANGHAI CONSULATE-GENERAL
14. THIS MAY BE A SUBJECT TO RAISE, BUT MUCH WILL DEPEND ON PROGRESS BETWEEN NOW AND THE TIME OF THE VISIT. -3-
CONFIDENTIAL (1) TE
((VI) TECHNICAL
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