TNAG-1868-FCO40-2656-Relations-between-Hong-Kong-and-Taiwan-1989 — Page 84

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MONTHS AGO AND HAD BEEN TOLD THAT THERE WAS NO QUESTION OF THE UK SIGNING AN INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT WITH THE TAIWAN

AUTHORITIES (FCO 1988 TELNO 878 TO PEKING).

5. MILLINGTON ASSURED SONG THAT THIS WAS STILL THE CASE. HOWEVER, IT WAS TRUE THAT CONCERNS ABOUT TAIWAN'S FREIGHT TAX HAD BEEN VOICED BY BRITISH SHIPPING COMPANIES. SHIPPING

REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE TWO COUNTRIES HAD DISCUSSED THE MATTER AND DTP, AS THE DEPARTMENT RESPONSIBLE FOR SHIPPING, HAD TAKEN A CLOSE INTEREST. HE BELIEVED A DTP OFFICIAL HAD VISITED TAIWAN, EXACTLY TO WHOM HE HAD SPOKEN. THE PURPOSE OF

DISCUSS THE REMOVAL OF A BURDEN ON BRITISH

REACH ANY SORT OF INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT.

BUT DID NOT KNOW

THE VISIT WAS TO SHIPPING, NOT TO

6. SONG SAID THAT TAXATION WAS AN IMPORTANT FUNCTION OF GOVERNMENT. ANY DISCUSSION OF TAXATION MATTERS BETWEEN A BRITISH

OFFICIAL AND THE TAIWANESE AUTHORITIES IMPLIED GOVERNMENT-TO- GOVERNMENT CONTACTS. MILLINGTON SAID THAT BRITISH GOVERNMENT

OFFICIALS REGULARLY COLLECTED INFORMATION WORLD-WIDE ON THE

RULES, REGULATIONS AND TAXES AFFECTING BRITISH COMMERCIAL INTERESTS. CARRYING OUT A SIMILAR FUNCTION IN TAIWAN COULD NOT

BE CONSTRUED AS FORMAL CONTACT WITH THE TAIWANESE AUTHORITIES.

THE IMPORTANT POINT WAS THAT WE HAD NO INTENTION OF CONCLUDING AN

INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT ON THIS MATTER.

7. SONG UNDERLINED THE CHINESE POSITION THAT, ALTHOUGH THE PRC DID NOT OBJECT TO UNOFFICIAL RELATIONS WITH TAIWAN, THEY WERE STRONGLY OPPOSED TO OFFICIAL CONTACTS. HE REGRETTED THAT THE

CHINESE ONLY LEARNT ABOUT SUCH MATTERS AS THE VHU FROM THE PRESS.

HE HOPED THAT IN FUTURE WE WOULD CONSULT THE CHINESE CLOSELY ON MEASURES AFFECTING OUR RELATIONS WITH TAIWAN.

8 =

MILLINGTON REMINDED SONG OF LORD GLENARTHUR'S ASSURANCES TO ZHOU NAN (FCO TELNO 264 TO PEKING) THAT OUR POLICY ON CHINA HAD NOT (NOT) CHANGED AND THAT THE CHINESE WERE WELCOME TO SEEK CLARIFICATION FROM US ON OUR POLICIES TO TAIWAN. HOWEVER, IT WAS NOT IN THE SPIRIT OF OUR FRIENDLY RELATIONS THAT THE CHINESE SHOULD APPEAR TO TAKE MORE NOTICE OF PRESS REPORTS THAN OF ASSURANCES WHICH THEY RECEIVED FROM THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT. WE WERE FULLY AWARE OF CHINESE SENSITIVITIES ON TAIWAN AND TOOK THEM VERY SERIOUSLY. WE WOULD OF COURSE CONSULT THE CHINESE IF WE INTENDED TO CHANGE OUR POLICY. BUT IT WAS UNREASONABLE TO EXPECT US TO CONSULT THE PRC ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF EXISTING POLICIES.

COMMENT

9.

THE TONE OF SONG'S INSISTENT QUESTIONING, AND HIS ASSERTION THAT THE CHINESE SHOULD BE CONSULTED ON ALL ASPECTS OF OUR RELATIONS WITH TAIWAN, REPRESENT THE CLEAREST INDICATION SO FAR

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