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BRIEF NO7
Addendum
PRIME MINISTER'S VISIT TO CHINA: SUPPLEMENT TO BRIEF NO 7: NOTES ON BRITISH INDUSTRIAL ACHIEVEMENTS
(NOTE: ACHIEVEMENTS IN ENERGY SECTOR COVERED SEPARATELY)
AEROSPACE
British Aerospace 146 4-engine airliner. World's quietest jet airliner. Most fuel efficient in its class. Operates from very short runways (eg 1220 metre runway at sea level). 42 aircraft sold already (customers include 4 US airlines) with options on 36 more. Highly successful demonstration tour of China in Summer 1984. Well suited to China's needs. Hope China will buy.
RAILWAYS
British firms were responsible for the construction of and equipment supply for the mass transit railway and Kowloon Canton railway projects in Hong Kong Metro-Cammell supplied rolling stock. British companies able to cooperate with China in every aspect of railway modernisation eg signalling, electrification, metro construction.
SPACE
An initiative by Lloyds of London lay behind the recent rescue by US astronauts of two wayward satellites. British Aerospace provided the "space pallets" to which the satellites were secured for their safe return to earth. (Note: the actual rescue was much more a US than a British technological achievement). Ferranti provides the inertial navigation system for the European launch vehicle Ariane, steering the satellite into position so efficiently that considerable fuel savings are achieved, thereby extending the satellite's operational life.
GLASS
Pilkington Bros (St Helens) are the recognised world leaders in glass technology and have entered into a joint venture and licensing agreement to build a float glass factory in Shanghai. Madame Chen Muhua, Minister of Foreign Economic Relations and Trade, visited Pilkingtons during her visit to Britain in March 1983. Pilkington's would like the Prime Minister to emphasise the importance of inclusion of procurement for the Shanghai project in China's 1985 plan to avoid possible delay.
ALUMINIUM SMELTERS
British companies built aluminium smelters in Bahrain and Dubai and are interested in 2 aluminium smelter projects in China (Guangxi and Guandong Provinces). Governor of Guangdong Province visited Dubai smelter on the way back from his recent visit to Britian.
DEPARTMENT OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY
December 1984
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