Mr Davies
FED
CONFIDENTIAL
From:
P8/Hr Maude
Date: 26 June 1990
Cc:
P8
Mr McLaren
Mr Burns
Mr Paul, HKD
Mr Whitehead, News Dept
CHINA
1. The following issues were discussed at Mr Maude's meeting yesterday:
i) Fang Lizhi. Mr Maude agreed that it would help to contain press interest if Dr Fang gave a short press conference soon after his arrival in the UK. He would be grateful to be kept up to date on Dr Fang's case generally.
Visit to China
ii)
Hong Kong.
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of the programme suggestions in Hong Kong telno 1972, Mr Maude would prefer (B) dinner with a wider group.
It would be difficult to have a reflective session with ExCo on managing the transition, so close to his visit to Peking; we should leave this session for the September visit.
iii) Media. On arrangements for briefing the press in Hong Kong, Mr Maude agreed that he should brief the editors of the two English language papers at least, and would be grateful for advice on whether he should also see the other members of the "Governor's group" of editors. He would prefer to do separate, one-on-one TV interviews. The press will judge the success of the visit by the level at which Mr Maude is received. We should ask for a meeting with Li Peng; the Prime Minister might underline the importance of this when she sees the Chinese Ambassador and Mr Maude would also emphasise to Mr Ji the following week the damage that media perceptions of an unsuccessful visit could do.
CONFIDENTIAL
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