TNAG-2244-FCO40-3225-Most-favoured-nation-status-for-China-impact-on-Hong-Kong-1991 — Page 144

UNCLASSIFIED

FM PEKING

TO PRIORITY FCO

TELNO 1159

OF 230705Z JULY 91

UNCLASSIFIED

MALB 090/1 Mast

Gay

23

199

พ

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114264

MDLIAN 7843

Pls tell Comms

INFO ROUTINE WASHINGTON, UKMIS NEW YORK, HONG KONG INFO ROUTINE JLG HONG KONG, ACTOR

CHINA/US: MFN

to get it

This

1. CHINESE MEDIA HAVE REPORTED THAT AN MFA SPOKESMAN WELCOMED PRESIDENT BUSH'S 19 JULY LETTER TO SENATOR MAX BAUCUS IN WHICH HE SUPPORTED UNCONDITIONAL RENEWAL OF CHINA'S MFN STATUS, IN ADVANCE OF THE SENATE VOTE ON 22 OR 23 JULY. THE SPOKESMAN ADDED THAT BUSH HAD REAFFIRMED THAT THERE IS ONLY ONE CHINA AND THAT TAIWAN IS PART OF CHINA, WHICH NO DOUBT GOES BEYOND WHAT BUSH ACTUALLY SAID.

2. THE SPOKESMAN ALSO REFERRED TO BUSH'S REFERENCE TO HELPING TAIWAN GAIN ACCESS TO GATT. HE NOTED THAT CHINA WAS A FOUNDER MEMBER OF GATT AND SAID THAT THE EARLY RESTORATION OF CHINA'S STATUS AS A CONTRACTING PARTY WOULD CONTRIBUTE BOTH TO A STRONGER INTERNATIONAL MULTILATERAL TRADING SYSTEM AND TO CHINA'S REFORM AND OPEN DOOR POLICY. IT COULD ALSO HELP TO SOLVE THE QUESTION OF ''TAIWAN'S ENTRY INTO GATT AS A SEPARATE CUSTOMS TERRITORY OF CHINA''

M

COATES

YYYY

DISTRIBUTION

73

ΜΑΙΝ

57

CHINA TRADE

LIMITED

FED

ECONOMIC ADVISERS

ERD

RAD

EAPD/ODA

PS/LORD CAITHNESS

PS/PUS

SIR J COLES

ESAU

MR MILES

ESED

HKD

JOINT DIRECTORATE

NPDD

PAGE

MR BURNS

MR SLATER MR MANNING

1

UNCLASSIFIED

ADDITIONAL

CHINA TRADE

NNNN

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