TNAG-1501-FCO40-2059-Guangdong-nuclear-power-station-project-at-Daya-Bay-safety-c-1986 — Page 109

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4 AUG 1986

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PA

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TO DESKBY 010830Z DEPARTMENT OF INDUSTRY

TELNO INDUS 156

OF 010326Z AUGUST 86

INFO ROUTINE BTC HONG KONG, HONG KONG, PARIS

(378)

YOUR INDUS 179% CHINA? NUCLEAR SAFETY

1. CALDER MET MA-FUBANG, (GENERAL GENERAL, BUREAU OF NUCLEAR POWER, MINISTRY OF NUCLEAR INDUSTRY) IN THE MARGINS OF A BANQUET GIVEN BY GEC ON 31 JULY. ABRAHAMS AND WRATHALL OF GEC TURBNINE GENERATORS

WERE ALSO PRESENT.

2. REFERRING TO THE DAYA BAY PROJECT, MA FUBANG STRESSED IN NOW FAMILIAR TERMS THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT'S COMMITMENT. HE ALSO EMPHASISED THE NEED FOR ALL CONCERNED TO WORK TOGETHER TO ALLAY PUBLIC FEARS IN HONG KONG. THERE WAS A PRESSING NEED TO EDUCATE THE MAN IN THE STREET ON NUCLEAR MATTERS. THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT WOULD DO ALL IT COULD TO ENSURE THE SAFETY AND QUALITY OF THE PLANT.

3. ASKED ABOUT REPORTS OF A POSSIBLE DEFERRAL OF CONTRACT SIGNATURE, MA FUBANG SAID HE HAD NOT PREVIOUSLY BEEN AWARE OF THE UMELCO FACT-FINDING MISSIONS, WHICH HE WELCOMED AS APOSITIVE MOVE. HOWEVER, HE KNEW OF NO PLANS TO DEFER SIGNATURE WHICH HE HOPED WOULD GO ACCORDING TO THE EXISTING SCHEDULE 1.E. MID-SEPTEMBER WITH

AUTHORIZATION TO PROCEED IN MID-OCTOBER.

COMMENT

4. IT PROVED VERY DIFFICULT TO ARRANGE A MEETING WITH MNI ON THIS ISSUE. THEY INITIALLY TOOK THE LINE THAT NO-ONE WAS FAMILIAR WITH THE DAYA BAY PROJECT WHICH WAS PRINCIPALLY THE CONCERN OF THE JVC. MA'S REACTION ABOVE INDICATES THAT WE SHALL NEED TO CONTINUE OUR CONTACTS WITH MNI TO EDUCATE THEM FURTHER.

EVANS

PEHPAN 7774

GUANGDONG

LIMITED

HKD

PED

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TRED

PUSD(MR CROWLEY) WED

[COPIES SENT TO NO 10 DOWNING STREET]

P8

PS/MR RENTON PS/PUS

SIR W HARDING

MR DAUNT

MR WILSON

MR SLATER

ADDITIONAL DISTRIBUTION

GUANGDONG NUCLEAR

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