TNAG-1464-FCO40-1991-Visits-by-Chinese-officials-to-the-UK--including-visit-by-Hu-1986 — Page 173

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FM PEKING

TO PRIORITY FCO

TELNO 909

OF 290OO9Z MAY 86

AMENDED DISTRIBUTION 3015

CONFIDENTIAL

SECOND AMENDED DISTRIBUTTON 4 JUNE 1986

HKK 02612

RECEIVEL REGISTRY

12 JUN 1986

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TRY

INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG

INDEX

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Acuun Taken

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{

{

MY TELNO.841 AND YOUR TELNO.473 (NOT TO HONG KONG):

HU YAODANG.

THE MEETING BETWEEN HU YAORANG AND THE FOUR AMBASSADORS YESTERDAY

EVENING WAS IN THE ROOM IN THE ZHONGYANHAI IN WHICH HE MET THE

PRIME MINISTER IN DECEMBER 1984. AFTER INTRODUCING THE MEMBERS OF

HIS PARTY, AND THANKING THE AMBASSADORS FOR THE ARRANGEMENTS MADE

FOR HIS TOUR, HU INVITED THE LATTER TO SPEAK. WE EACH SPOKE FOR ABOUT FIVE MINUTES (THE FRENCHMAN FIRST), SAYING HOW OUR GOVERNMENTS

AND PEOPLES WERE LOOKING FORWARD TO HU'S VISIT AND GIVING CUR

ASSESSMENT OF RELATIONS BETWEEN OUR RESPECTIVE COUNTRIES AND CHINA.

NOTHING REMARKABLE WAS SAID EXCEPT BY THE ITALIAN, WHO ASKED FOR

CHINA TO RECONSIDER HER RELATIONS WITH THE VATICAN.

11

HE SAID

THAT THE ESTABLISHMENT OF DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS BETWEEN CHINA AND

THE VATICAN WOULD CONTRIBUTE TO THE ISOLATION OF TAIWAN 11 AND

CAUSE 7 OR 8 COUNTRIES IN LATIN AMERICAN TO ESTABLISH DIPLOMATIC

RELATIONS TOO. THIS CLEARLY IRRITATED HU.

?

2. AT THE DINNER AFTERWARDS, HU AND THE MEMBERS OF HIS PARTY WERE

RANGED ON ONE SIDE OF A LONG TABLE AND THE FOUR AMBASSADORS, WITH

A FEW FAIRLY JUNIOR CHINESE OFFICIALS, ON THE OTHER. THE DINNER

WAS IN WESTERN STYLE (EXCEPT THAT BEER WAS OFFERED AS AN ALTERNATIVE

TO ALL KINDS OF WINE, INCLUDING CHAMPAGNE). THE CONVERSATION WAS

GENERAL THROUGHOUT. IT CHIEFLY CONCERNED TERRORISM AND CIVIL

NUCLEAR POWER.

3. ON TERRORISM, HU SAID THAT THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT WAS TALKING

THE PROBLEM VERY SERIOUSLY. BUT IT HAD NEVER RESORTED TO TERRORISM

ITSELF, NOR HAD THE CHINESE COMMUNIST PARTY BEFORE IT HAD ACHIEVED STATE POWER. THE ROOTS OF TERRORISM LAY IN SOCIAL CONDITIONS. IT

FOLLOWED THAT POLICE METHODS'' ALONE WOULD NEVER BE ADEQUATE

TO ELIMINATE TERRORISM.

4. ON NUCLEAR POWER, HU SAID THAT THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT WAS GIVING FAVOURABLE CONSIDERATION TO KOHL'S RECENT INVITATION TO PARTICIPATE

IN A CONFERENCE ON SAFETY. LI PENG SAID THAT CHINA'S CIVIL NUCLEAR

PROGRAMME WOULD NOT BE AFFECTED BY CHERNOBYL. HE HAD JUST VISITED

DAYA BAY. WORK WAS GOING FORWARD ACCORDING TO PLAN. HE WOULD RE

INTERESTED IN MY ASSESSMENT OF SENTIMENT IN THE UK AND HONG KONG IN

THE AFTERMATH OF CHERNOBYL.

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