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suggestion of a meeting with Mr. Channon.
High Level Meetings
Zhao
Sir Y.K. Pao said that, while in Peking, he had put to Zhao Ziyang the Prime Minister's proposal that British and Chinese leaders should have private meetings each year. Ziyang had responded positively. The Prime Minister said that she thought there might be some misunderstanding. She was not aware of any such proposal though she knew that it had been suggested that meetings on the model of the Ditchley Park Conferences, involving officials and other leading citizens from many walks of life, could play a helpful role in Anglo-Chinese relations. While there would no doubt be some Ministerial participation, these would not be primarily meetings of Ministers, let alone Prime Ministers. It might be possible to arrange for such meetings to take place in the context of Ministerial visits between Britain and China. Y.K.
Sir
Pao expressed interest in this suggestion though it clearly differed from that which he put on his own authority to Zhao Ziyang.
You will no doubt want to consider how best to put the record straight with the Chinese.
Ningbo University
Sir Y.K. said that the university would be inaugurated on 26 November. He would very much welcome it if the Prime Minister were able to nominate a representative to attend the opening ceremonies. The Prime Minister said that she thought this was a good idea. She would nominate one of her Ministerial colleagues. Mr. Walden, as Minister with responsibility for universities and as a Chinese speaker, would be an ideal choice. She would approach him.
I should be grateful if you could follow this up with Mr. Walden's office.
China Internal
son.
Sir Y.K. said that he had recently seen Deng Xiaoping's
He had received the impression that it was now most unlikely that Deng Xiaoping would retire from his remaining posts next year.
I am copying this letter to Michael Gilbertson (Department of Trade and Industry) and Jill Rutter (Chief Secretary's Office).
dicerek,
D. JPONRALD
Colin Budd, Esq.,
Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
(C. D. POWELL/D
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