TNAG-2039-FCO40-2903-Visits-from-the-UK-to-China-1990 — Page 9

CONFIDENTIAL

こて

037725

MDLIAN 4478

CONFIDENTIAL

FM PEKING

TO PRIORITY FCO

TELNO 1547

(AMENDED DISTRIBUTION 6/11)

OF 050945Z NOVEMBER 90

TOP COPY

Q DIST ?

INFO PRIORITY BTC HONG KONG, UKREP JLG HONG KONG, HONG KONG

HKB 026/10 6/10

RECE

8 NOV 1990

FCO PERSONAL FOR PAUL

BTC HONG KONG PERSONAL FOR HEAP

UKREP JLG HONG KONG PERSONAL FOR GALSWORTHY

HONG KONG PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR

PW

HONG KONG TELNO 3169: VISIT OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE TO CHINA AND HONG KONG

1. THANK YOU FOR BRINGING ME UP TO DATE ON THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S TRAVEL PLANS.

2. I WOULD WELCOME A VISIT BY THE SECRETARY OF STATE IN APRIL. HE WILL FIND THE PHYSICAL APPEARANCE OF PEKING MUCH CHANGED SINCE THE 1950S, BUT I EXPECT HIM TO DETECT A CERTAIN UNDERLYING CONTINUITY IN THE CHINESE APPROACH TO MANY PROBLEMS DESPITE THE VAGARIES OF CHINESE POLITICAL LIFE SINCE THAT PERIOD.

3. ON TIMING, I WOULD BE HAPPY TO SEE HIM AT ANY POINT IN THE PERIOD 1-9 APRIL. UNLIKE THE GOVERNOR I DO, HOWEVER, HAVE A PREFERENCEON THE ORDER OF VISITS TO PEKING AND HONG KONG. I VERY MUCH HOPE THAT THE SECRETARY OF STATE COULD VISIT PEKING FIRST, TO UNDERLINE THE POLITICAL FACT THAT HONG KONG IS BEST ADDRESSED IN THE BROAD CONTEXT OF A FLOURISHING BILATERAL RELATIONSHIP COVERING A VARIETY OF POLITICAL QUESTIONS. A VISIT TO PEKING VIA HONG KONG WOULD RISK FOSTERING TWO MISLEADING IMPRESSIONS:

(A) THAT OFR INTEREST IN CHINA IS DICTATED SOLELY BY THE NEED FOR CONTINUED COOPERATION ON HONG KONG

(B) THAT THE DIRECTION OF OUR BILATERAL POLICY IS ENTIRELY GOVERNED BY PERCEPTIONS IN THE TERRITORY.

MY TELNO 1403 OF 12 OCTOBER COMMENTED IN MORE DETAIL ON THE

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