CONFIDENTIAL
4
布政司署
香港下亞厘畢道
本署檔號 Our Ref.: PA CR 1/4731/49
來函檔號 Your Ref.:
HKCOLO
DIEU E
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
< 7 FEB 1990
DESK OFFICE?
A R Paul Esq IND
Hong Kong Department
FCO
Jean Fran,
REGISTRY
Actrum Taken
GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT
LOWER ALBERT ROAD
HONG KONG
Mr McLaren
17 February 1990
Mr Stone
MS Hancock
Ahidj Mandi-
Mr Pied R
Interesting, and confirms
She reports of the relationship.
it
could make NINA harder to deal with if there is frition between Zhou + his junior.
NCNA Spring Reception
ра
Ithe personalities.
Bus/L
You will have seen the various articles in the Hong
Kong press about the handover between Xu Jiatun and Zhou Nan at NCNA. You may be interested in the following impressions gained at the huge Spring Reception on 7 February which the Governor attended as a special gesture.
The event had been billed as one where Xu Jiatun would be "introducing Mr Zhou to Hong Kong". In fact he did nothing of the sort. When we arrived the hall was already quite full. The greeting line however contained no familiar faces. Xu was not there. Zhou was moving amongst the guests, but he was unaccompanied by any senior NCNA men. He was having to fend pretty much for himself, which at some points created a slightly embarrassing situation where there was a circle of open space around him from which someone occasionally came forward to pay homage (the French
described it: aller à la sacristie).
Consul-General
The usual team were providing no backup. Ji Shaoxiang was floating about. Rod Bunten spotted Qiao Zonghuai chatting in a corner with cronies. Xu Jiatun himself emerged at the door to greet the Governor and Lady Wilson when they arrived
(by prior arrangement they arrived quite late on in the Reception): but he was not in the Reception before that.
The sharp eyes and ears of Hong Kong have noted two other points. As the Governor entered the Reception and went towards the rostrum it was evident that Zhou was taking great pains to keep half a step ahead of him, where Xu walked more politely behind. Also, NCNA have begun to give
CONFIDENTIAL
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