TNAG-1338-FCO40-1770-Visit-by-Margaret-Thatcher--UK-Prime-Minister--to-Beijing-fo-1984 — Page 45

CONFIDENTIAL

Kong. The Prime Minister could refer to the momentum

generated by the Hong Kong agreement (although she will

not wish to imply that trade opportunities are

in any

direct way the result of the agreement). She could also

touch on non-Hong Kong mechanisms such as the bilateral

Economic Cooperation Agreement (to be renewed in 1985)

and the Investment Protection and Promotion Agreement (on

which negotiations began this month);

ii)

intrinsic scope for more trade: the match between

Chiense economic priorities (energy, transport,

communications, natural resources, agriculture) and

British expertise emphasis on quality (a British strong

point) as being as important as price (on which the

Chiense have some times criticised us);

iii) a proposal (on which the DTI are currently working)

for a major commercial visit in early 1985 by a

delegation of senior British businessmen, led perhaps by

a Minister, to pursue opportunities in specific projects

and sectors; the need for careful preparation;

iv) brief discussions of specific projects and areas.

The Prime Minister will wish to mention the Guangdong

Nuclear Project. (The situation on this is developing

rapidly and the right points to take up during the visit

will not be clear until shortly before the Prime Minister

departs. We therefore envisage that briefing be in the

form of a separate self-contained Annex to the main trade

brief). The DTI will identify other suitable projects.

CONFIDENTIAL

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