TNAG-1371-FCO40-1817-Ministerial-visits-from-the-UK-to-Hong-Kong-1985 — Page 12

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GIB/L/F/1715

From: DIS(M)

To: All overgens offices

September 8, 1985

Following 36 Transcript of an Interview with Hr Timothy Renton on Hadio

8th September 1985 (local time)

Mr Kenton: I am delighted that under the Secretary of State Bly Geoffrey Rowe, I am going to be responsible for liX. And, in this instance, following in the steps of Richard Luce who is a very old Friend and a colleague of mine as well as the parliamentary asigbbour in Sussex. I realise that this is a very important period in lik history following the conclusion of the Sino-British agreement isst year. And I an honoured, delighted, and very interested to be aesuming responsibility for this portfoliu under Geoffrey Howe at this moment.

Charles Scanlon! When will you expect to be making your first trip to the territory after taking up the appointment?

Hr Kenton: I plan to take up a visit that Richard Luce had in wind and

at the end of next month. to visit HK at the end of October

M

Scanlow: Will you be undertaking the trip to China as well?

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Mr Renton: I think that Richard Luce's plan was to visit China Barlier - during the course of this month. And in the course of his HK trip, believe he le planning to go on to visit one or two countries in Southepel Aslu. And this is the pattern at the moment I planned to follow. I won't be doing Richard Luce's trip in September which is the one that included Peking. But I shall be following in the detail of his trip at the end of October.

Scanlon; So when could we expect you to make your first trip to Ching? Will you be putting this high on the agenda?

the

Hr Kenton: I have never been to mainland China. So I would very much Ilku to put it high on the agenda. I have at a number of Chinese statuenen who visited Britain in the course of the last 12 monthɛ 12 month when I have been a junior Foreign Office minister but with totally different responsibilities. And I would find it extremely

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