TNAG-1464-FCO40-1991-Visits-by-Chinese-officials-to-the-UK--including-visit-by-Hu-1986 — Page 115

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NATURAL CONTINUATION OF THE NORMAL DIALOGUE BETWEEN THE TWO

MINISTERS. IN ANSWER TO FURTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT POSSIBLE

MILITARY SALES, CHINA'S ECONOMIC PROGRESS AND ASPECTS OF ITS

FOREIGN POLICY, MASEFIELD ILLUSTRATED HIS REPLIES WITH REFERENCES

TO HU YAOBANG'S CHATHAM HOUSE LECTURE WHICH SOME OF THEM HAD

HEARD, AND THE TEXT OF WHICH IS AVAILABLE. HE CONFIRMED THAT

TAIWAN HAD BEEN MENTIONED IN THE CONTEXT OF CHINA'S RELATIONS

WITH THE UNITED STATES AS AN ASPECT ON WHICH PROGRESS WOULD LEAD

TO EVEN MORE FRIENDLY RELATIONS WITH PEKING. ASKED ABOUT

IMPRESSIONS OF THE CHINESE LEADERS AS INDIVIDUALS MASEFIELD SAID

THAT HU YAOBANG'S LIVELY AND OUTGOING PERSONALITY HAD BEEN

EVIDENT THROUGHOUT, WHEREAS LI PENG HAD SEEMED MORE STOLID AND

CAUTIOUS, OFTEN SUPPLYING DETAILS OF THE LINE TO TAKE SOTTO VOCE.

HOWE

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SIR W.

HARDING

MR DEREK THOMAS

MR WILSON

HERVEY

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HKD

ECD(E)

MR

NEWS DEPT

INFORMATION DEPT

SOVIET DEPT

NAD

CLAIMS DEPT

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PLANNING STAFF

PS/MR RENTON

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