TNAG-2044-FCO40-2914-Visits-from-China-to-Hong-Kong-1990 — Page 69

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18 OCT 1990

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Takra

Mr

Sainty

36

Il have got this. They

thand include Wy in

their

Programme of senior visits.

H L1 Davies

Far Eastern Department

Lea4

Miss Marsson Ms. Major

Mr Burns

Mr McLaren

WU JIANCHANG

DATE:

11 October 1990

CC:

Mr Paul, HKD

Mr Wye, RAD

PUSD

(by fax to):-

D C Coates Esq, Peking W G Ehrman Esq, Political

Adviser, Hong Kong

fe (new Cile?) Visits by chinese leaders/

kniver officials to Hong Kong.

1. I attended the SBTC dinner on 8 October for Wu Jianchang and his nonferrous delegation. It was presided over by Bernard Buckman.

2. It was confirmed to me during the evening by my Chinese neighbour (the local representative of the nonferrous mafia) that Wu was indeed the husband of Deng Lin, Deng Xiaoping's eldest daughter. I was repeatedly assured that Wu was very important and that he had direct access to the old man. I have to say that he was not immediately impressive. Aged around 48/50 I should guess, he confessed to having been hauled out of a Research Institute to take over as Executive Vice-President of the Nonferrous Metals Industry Group by none other than Wang Zhen. Smacks somewhat of the usual Chinese system of preferment for the well-connected. Wu apparently also heads the Hong Kong subsidiary (as well as a Shenzhen branch) and in answer to my question said that he had visited Hong Kong "a few" times. I commented that I hoped that he had been impressed, which he confirmed (between mouthfuls of hot Hunanese peppers with which he despoiled every dish set before him).

3. The LME representatives present clearly set high store by this visit and the fact that someone so well-connected had brought over a large Chinese group to visit and see the LME in action. China's business on the LME is substantial and apparently growing.

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