TNAG-2244-FCO40-3225-Most-favoured-nation-status-for-China-impact-on-Hong-Kong-1991 — Page 145

UNCLASSIFIED

FM PEKING

TO PRIORITY FCO

TELNO 1159

OF 230705Z JULY 91

UNCLASSIFIED

115343

MDLIAN 7949

HUB 040/4- Q DIST?

TOP COPY

CAMENDED DISTRIBUTION 23/1

INFO ROUTINE WASHINGTON, UKMIS NEW YORK, HONG KONG

INFO ROUTINE JLG HONG KONG, ACTOR

1

CHINA/US: MFN

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''.

COATES

YYYY

ΜΑΙΝ

71

DISTRIBUTION

71

MFN AND HONG KONG

LIMITED

HKD

NAD NEWS D

RAD

EAPD/ODA

ECONOMIC ADVISERS

ERD

ESAU

ESED

FED

JOINT

NNW W

PS

PS/LORD CAITHNESS

PS/PUS

SIR J COLES

MR BAYNE

MR MILES

DIRECTORATE

MR BURNS

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