HK0026/21
RECE
CONFIDENTIAL
57
020560 MDLIAN 5104
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TELNO 3734
TO ROUTINE FCO
i
INDEX
OF 150414Z DECEMBER 90
18 DEC 1990
Chinese visits to HK. TOP COPY Q DIST?
SALT B
INFO ROUTINE PEKING, BTC HONG KONG, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
CALL BY PRC MINISTER OF ENERGY
1. CHINA'S MINISTER OF ENERGY, HUANG YI-CHENG, CALLED ON ME ON 14 DECEMBER. HE IS HERE AS A GUEST OF CHINA LIGHT AND POWER WITH WHOM HIS MINISTRY HAS CLOSE CONNECTIONS. THIS WAS THE FIRST CHINESE MINISTERIAL VISIT AS SUCH TO HONG KONG SINCE JUNE 4 LAST YEAR, ALTHOUGH THE MAYOR OF SHANGHAI PRESUMABLY HAS MINISTERIAL RANK.
2. IN THE COURSE OF A RELAXED AND FRIENDLY DISCUSSION, HUANG MADE A POINT OF SAYING THAT LI PENG CONVEYED HIS REGARDS AND WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO MY VISIT IN JANUARY. SEPARATELY I GATHER THAT HUANG IS THOUGHT TO BE CLOSE TO LI PENG HAVING ALSO STUDIED IN
THE SOVIET UNION.
3. DISCUSSION WAS MOSTLY ABOUT CO-OPERATIVE ENERGY PROJECTS BETWEEN PRC AND CLP. HUANG SAID THAT CONSTRUCTION OF THE DAYA BAY POWER STATION WAS ON SCHEDULE FOR COMPLETION IN 1992. NO DECISIONS ON FURTHER NUCLEAR POWER STATIONS IN GUANGDONG WOULD BE MADE UNTIL AFTER DAYA BAY CAME ON STREAM. THE CENTRAL AUTHORITIES WERE NOW CONCENTRATING ON COAL-FIRED POWER PLANTS SINCE IMPORTING NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGY WAS UP TO FOUR TIMES AS EXPENSIVE. ALTHOUGH THE QINGSHAN NUCLEAR POWER PLANT NEAR SHANGHAI, DUE TO OPEN NEXT YEAR, USED A GOOD DEAL OF CHINESE TECHNOLOGY IT WAS SMALL AND CHINA'S CAPACITY TO BUILD LARGER PLANTS WAS UNTESTED. THE SOVIET UNION HAD OFFERED TWO NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS. THESE WOULD BE BUILT IN LIAONING.
·
4 I EMPHASISED THE IMPORTANCE OF CLOSE CO-OPERATION OVER CONTINGENCY PLANNING ON DAYA BAY. HUANG TIRED TO DISMISS THE POSSIBILITY OF ACCIDENTS. BUT I THINK HE TOOK THE POINT.
5. HUANG SAID THAT HIS MINISTRY WAS VERY INTERESTED IN SELLING TO HONG KONG NATURAL GAS PIPED DIRECT FROM A SOURCE SOUTH OF HAINAN ISLAND. THEY WERE DISCUSSING THE POSSIBILITY WITH VARIOUS FIRMS AND WANTED TO KEEP IT CONFIDENTIAL AT PRESENT. I SAID THAT WE
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