TNAG-1339-FCO40-1771-Visit-by-Margaret-Thatcher--UK-Prime-Minister--to-Beijing-fo-1984 — Page 229

Guangdong Nuclear :

Possibly, some other specific projects.

2.

On

Regarding Li Peng's comments (first TUR), please

tell Zhou Nan and, if an opportunity arises before

the visit, Li himself that we understand and share

the Chinese wish to increase trade; we agree that

ao

the Prime Minister's and Zho's visits should lay

the foundation for this; but we consider it

presentationally important for the Joint Declaration

to be at centre stage this time; we therefore prefer

not to pursue the possibility of signature of the

Guangdong Nuclear Joint Venture agreement during the

visit; we nevertheless hope it can take place

shortly afterwards.

3. For your own information, the Prime Minister will

be briefed defensively on the Law of the Sea, COCOM

and the GATT. We hope that she will be able to

propose the visit by Lord Young's commercial

delegation. We are considering the possibility of

her proposing the negotiation of a nuclear agreement,

and informing Zhao of the decision (taken recently,

following similar French action) to upgrade China's

two last ECGD credit rating to Category A. (These points

depend on sensitive decisions outstanding here: it

would be helpful to have your views on the value

strong you would attach to them). Unless you see objection,

we propose, given the shortage of time, not to brief

her to raise the Shanghai Consulate-General.

4. On aid, we have been pursuing vigorously the

recommendation in para 15 of your telno 2727. This

is however an inauspicious time for new bids.

The

/ Prime

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