CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 823
CONFIDENTIAL
RECEN
MKB 026/21
13 MAR 1990
DESK OFFICE
INDEX
? HKB 026/7
6
026377
MDLIAN 3464
COPY
OF 05120OZ MARCH 90
INFO PRIORITY PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
PEKING TELNO 315 TO YOU: CHINESE VISITS TO HONG KONG
1. WE WERE GLAD TO SEE HMA PEKING'S SUPPORT IN PRINCIPLE FOR THE IDEAS IN OUR TELNO 722. WE AGREE THAT WE SHOULD WAIT AND SEE HOW THINGS FALL OUT AT THE NPC, BUT BEYOND THAT WE WONDER IF THERE IS REALLY SUCH A NEED FOR CAUTION IN INVITING SENIOR CHINESE. ANY INVITATION COULD BE COUCHED IN POSITIVE TERMS AND EVEN IF TURNED DOWN WE DO NOT SEE THAT TRYING TO BE FRIENDLY WILL HAVE AN ILL EFFECT ON UPCOMING ISSUES WHICH MAY BE DIFFICULT. I WOULD ALSO SEE ADVANTAGE IN INVITATIONS TO SENIOR VISITORS BEING IN THE CONTEXT OF THEIR VISITS OVERSEAS, AS IN THE CASE OF TIAN JIYUN. THIS WOULD PROBABLY BE EASIER, AT THE MOMENT, FOR BOTH THE CHINESE AND OURSELVES TO HANDLE.
2. THREE SPECIFIC POINTS:
(I) THE REASON FOR SUGGESTING ZOU JIAHUA IS PARTLY BECAUSE HE
APPEARS TO BE AN UP AND COMING MAN AND PARTLY BECAUSE OF HIS ENGINEERING AND ECONOMIC BACKGROUND, AS WELL AS HIS CURRENT PLANNING COMMISSION ROLE AND OVERSIGHT OF AIR SERVICES. WE WOULD AIM TO SHOW HIM HONG KONG'S ECONOMIC SUCCESS AND EXPLAIN OUR PLANS FOR THE FUTURE, WITH THE AIM OF PERSUADING CHINESE LEADERS TO TAKE A POSITIVE ATTITUDE TOWARDS THEM.
(II) WE HAVE SOME DOUBTS ABOUT SOME OF PEKING'S ADDITIONAL SUGGESTIONS. WHILE OBVIOUSLY IT SEEMS A GOOD IDEA TO TRY AND EDUCATE THE CHINESE ON FISCAL MATTERS, A VISIT BY THE CHINESE MINISTER OF FINANCE COULD AROUSE FEARS IN HONG KONG THAT DESPITE THE JOINT DECLARATION, CHINA WOULD HAVE A FISCAL ROLE IN THE TERRITORY AFTER 1997. A VICE-MINISTER SPECIFICALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR TAXATION WOULD ENHANCE THIS RISK. ALTHOUGH WE SEE GENERAL ADVANTAGE IN CHINA LEARNING HOW TO MANAGE ITS FISCAL AFFAIRS IT WOULD BE BETTER TO START THIS PROCESS ELSEWHERE.
(III) THE IDEA OF INVITING THE MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS HAS MORE ATTRACTION. WE WOULD NOT WISH TO GET DRAWN INTO ANY KIND OF JOINT
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