FROM:
Sir Eldon Griffiths, M.P.
HKB 020/1
000
state?
HOUSE OF COMMONS
LONDON SWIA OAA
Men Sie Seffrey.
10th February, 1989.
Thank you for your letter of the 30th December
about Taiwan.
It was sent on to me in California where, ironically, I had just hosted the Chinese (PRC) Ambassador to the United States, in my capacity as President of the Orange County World Affairs Council, having the previous week addressed the annual dinner of the Chinese (ROC) American Economic Associations in San Francisco! Needless to say I took the opportunity to discuss Beijing's relations with Taipei with both groups.
May I add just two points to my letter.
1. Three new "laws" have just been promulgated in the legislature Yuan of Taipei, to provide for the retirement of those of its members as (theoretically) represented Mainland constituencies; to enable other parties openly to contest the next legislative and Presidential elections, with identical access to the media etc; and to reorganize the constituency boundaries in Taiwan to take account of these moves towards an open and plural democracy. These moves, which I am sure you welcome, were forecast in the various memoranda I sent to you and other colleagues over the past three years. And the first of these has been welcomed by the PRC.
the
2. I fully understand and share objections to third countries purporting to treat Taiwan on the same basis as the PRC. There is only one China and that is ruled from Beijing. But I continue to be impressed by the remarkably flexible attitude that is displayed in private by senior figures from both sides of the Taiwan strait. Just as in Hong Kong the PRC now visualizes a "one stage - two systems" approach to Taiwan. And though the approach is very different, more and more there are those in Taiwan who no longer bridle when one puts this to them private.
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With the British Cultural Office now planned to open in Taipei in the spring, I have discussed with non-governmental bodies in Taiwan the possibility of their opening up a similar office in London. I stressed that this must be a private enterprise initiative, totally independent from the Taiwan government and its Free Chinese Committee. This point has been accepted, and I expect a combination of Taiwan universities and the Pacific Foundation to make an approach to their opposite numbers in Britain with a view to
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