TNAG-1462-FCO40-1988-Visits-by-Chinese-officials-to-the-UK--including-visit-by-Hu-1986 — Page 11

CONFIDENTIAL

9. DURING THE LAST THREE YEARS, HU HAS VISITED A NUMBER OF COUNTRIES IN HIS CAPACITY AS A CHINESE LEADER. HE HAS BEEN TO JAPAN, NORTH KOREA, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND. ON THESE AND OTHER OCCASIONS HE HAS TAKEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE IMPORTANT STATEMENTS ABOUT CHINESE FOREIGN POLICY. THE MOST RECENT EXAMPLE WAS THE INTERVIEW WHICH HE GAVE TO AN AMERICAN ACADEMIC, SELIG HARRISON, IN LATE APRIL, WHEN HE SPOKE ABOUT TAIWAN. HU ALSO HAS A TENDENCY TO SPEAK TO THE PRESS IN TERMS WHICH CAN CAUSE DIFFICULTIES AFTERWARDS: A REMARK AT A PRESS CONFERENCE LAST YEAR LED TO THE ABANDONMENT OF PLANS FOR AN AMERICAN NAVAL VISIT TO CHINA.

EVANS

LIMITED

FED

PROTOCOL D

ERD

ECON ADVS

TRED

NAD

HKD

COPIES TO:

ASSESSMENTS STAFF

CABINET OFFICE

DEF D

PLANNING STAFF

PUSD

SOV D

PS

PS/MR RENTON

PS/PUS

SIR W HARD ING

MR WILSON

THIS TELEGRAM

WAS NOT ADVANCED

CONFIDENTIAL