TNAG-1872-FCO40-2660-Relations-between-Hong-Kong-and-China-1989 — Page 103

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03MAL 1992

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Mr Paul, HK

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The walker, Research Dept Mr Mebaten

Miss Marssin

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Her Bradley, DPA, HIC_

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I had dinner last night with a friend from Rothschilds. He had two Chinese guests, copies of whose cards I attach, Yang Zhen-Han, the President of the South East Economic Information Center and a member of his staff called Zhang Ao. Yang is the husband of Madam Tan Fuyun of the NCNA in Hong Kong (in my time she was the head of the Economic Department, if I remember correctly).

He said that they

I asked Yang what his outfit did. studied the Chinese economy and reforms, the economic relationship between Hong Kong and China, South East Asia and, indeed, the world. His clients were both Chinese and international companies.

Yang expressed great optimism about Hong Kong, but he did so in a rather shallow fashion. He said that Hong Kong people did not care about politics, only making money. I pointed out that these two things were not easily separated. He held forth several times on the completeness of the understanding among the Chinese leadership of the sensitive business of keeping capitalism alive and well in Hong Kong. I told him that I thought the impression in Hong Kong was that some Chinese leaders understood Hong Kong rather better than others. Yang also repeated several times the importance of getting Hong Kong right for the wider reunification of China.

All in all, I found Yang rather superficial. He revealed no knowledge of the various matters we have under discussion with the Chinese. I mentioned the importance of the Wanchai reclamation without going into JLG details. He did not spark. I also had a go at him on coast-hopping by Vietnamese boat people. He listened with great fascination and asked a number of questions. The problem seemed to be quite new to him.

Though superficial, Yang's interests seem to be fairly

He touched on economic reforms in Vietnam, Poland and

broad. Hungary.

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