TNAG-1339-FCO40-1771-Visit-by-Margaret-Thatcher--UK-Prime-Minister--to-Beijing-fo-1984 — Page 306

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CONFIDENTIAL

DESKBY 06060OZ PEKING

DESKBY 0609OOZ F C O ́

2173

CONFIDENTIAL HKK. 040/57

FM HONG KONG 0605177 DEC 84

TO IMMEDIATE PEKING

TELEGRAM NUMBER 1380 OF 6 DECEMBER

INFO IMMEDIATE F CO

RECEIVED I

6. DEC 1984

DESK OFFICIA INDEX

LISTA

PA

Action Taken

FCO TELNO 1334 TO YOU: PRIME MINISTER'S VISIT: HONG KONG ATTENDANCE.

1. THE CHINESE LIST IN YOUR TELNO 2901 TO FCO INCLUDES 18 NAMES ON OUR LIST (HONG KONG TELNO 3687) AND SEVEN NAMED UMELCO MEMBERS. WE THINK IT SHOULD BE MADE CLEAR TO THE CHINESE THAT WHILE THERE MAY BE SOME OVERLAP WITH THEIR SUGGESTIONS, IT SHOULD BE LEFT TO THE BRITISH SIDE TO NOMINATE UMELCO MEMBERS TO BE INVITED TO THE CEREMONY, THE SAME, OF COURSE, APPLIES TO HKG OFFICIALS.

2. THE CHINESE LIST INCLUDES THE SUPREME COURT JUSTICES, MR JUSTICE LI AND MR JUSTICE YANG. MR JUSTICE YANG WILL BE ON LEAVE IN THE UK AT THE TIME OF THE CEREMONY. MR JUSTICE LI, WHO IS CURRENTLY ON LEAVE IN THE UK MAY (MAY) BE AVAILABLE BUT THIS IS UNCERTAIN. WE WOULD NOT OURSELVES PROPOSE TO SUGGEST SUBSTITUTES.

3. THE CHINESE HAVE INCLUDED TWO URBAN COUNCILLORS IN ADDITON TO THE CHAIRMAN, DR PHILIP KWOK AND MRS ELSIE ELLIOTT (AS YE XI-EN). THIS WILL SEEM A SOMEWHAT ODD SELECTION. WE SHOULD BE GRATEFUL IF YOU WOULD INCLUDE MR H M G FORSGATE, THE VICE CHAIRMAN IN OUR LIST IN ADDITION TO MR HILTON CHEONG-LEEN.

4. THE MASS COMMUNICATIONS MEDIA ARE STRONGLY REPRESENTED IN THE CHINESE LIST, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF RADIO. WE SUGGEST THAT YOU INCLUDE MR GEORGE HO, CHAIRMAN OF HONG KONG COMMERCIAL RADIO LIMITED IN THE UK LIST.

5. IF THE CHINESE NOMINEE HU HONGLIE OF THE SHU REN COLLEGE (A POST SECONDARY INSTITUTION) IS INCLUDED, THE BAPTIST COLLEGE (WHICH AWARDS DEGREES) WILL BE CONSPICUOUS BY ITS ABSENCE. WE THINK THAT DR DANIEL TSE, PRESIDENT OF THE BAPTIST COLLEGE SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN OUR LIST, IN ADDITION TO THE TWO VICE CHANCELLORS AND THE ACTING DIRECTOR OF THE POLYTECHNIC. (PARA 1 (1) IN OUR LIST)

6. IN OUR VIEW THE FOLLOWING NAMES ON THE CHINESE LIST COULD WELL BE DROPPED IF THE CHINESE QUIBBLE AT THE NUMBERS WE ARE PUTTING

FORWARD:-

(1) GUO YUAN HAN OF THE CHINESE CIVIL SERVANTS UNION. HIS UNION IS NOT ONE OF THE THREE MAIN CIVIL SERVANTS UNIONS (AND WE HAVE NOT OURSELVES THOUGHT IT APPROPRIATE TO SUGGEST THAT CIVIL SERVICE UNIONS SHOULD BE REPRESENTED)

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CONFIDENTIAL

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LIANG.