TNAG-2244-FCO40-3225-Most-favoured-nation-status-for-China-impact-on-Hong-Kong-1991 — Page 9

CONFIDENTIAL

FM PEKING

TO DESKBY 28123OZ FCO

TELNO 2036

OF 281107Z NOVEMBER 91

CONFIDENTIAL

HuB 090/4

р.с.

MFN

Mme 2

INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG, BTC HONG KONG, UKREP JLG HONG KONG INFO SAVING SHANGHAI

728

035271

MDHIAN 3931

LORD CAITHNESS' VISIT: CALL ON TIAN ZENGPEI, 27 NOVEMBER: BILATERAL/GENERAL

SUMMARY

1.

LORD CAITHNESS STRESSES IMPORTANCE OF MAINTAINING THE MOMENTUM VISITS. NEED FOR SPECIFIC PROGRESS. HELP TO CHINA ON MFN.

BRITISH COMMERCIAL INTERESTS.

OF

DETAIL

2.

VICE FOREIGN MINISTER TIAN ZENGPEI WELCOMED LORD CAITHNESS AND COMMENTED THAT SINO-BRITISH RELATIONS HAD IMPROVED OVER THE

PREVIOUS YEAR AND PROGRESS HAD BEEN MADE ON HONG KONG. MUCH HOWEVER REMAINED TO BE DONE. THE VISIT WOULD HELP PROMOTE BILATERAL RELATIONS AND IN SETTLING CERTAIN ISSUES. HE INVITED LORD CAITHNESS TO OPEN THE DISCUSSION.

3. LORD CAITHNESS AGREED THAT THE BILATERAL RELATIONSHIP HAD

IMPROVED OVER THE PREVIOUS YEAR AS DEMONSTRATED BY THE NUMBER OF

HIGH LEVEL VISITS IN BOTH DIRECTIONS. IT WAS IMPORTANT TO

TRANSLATE THE GOOD ATMOSPHERE INTO SPECIFIC PROGRESS.

HÉ LOOKED FORWARD TO QIAN QICHEN'S VISIT TO BRITAIN IN 1992 WHICH WOULD BE DUE TO TAKE PLACE IN MARCH SIX MONTHS AFTER THE LAST FOREIGN MINISTER'S MEETING. HE POINTED OUT THAT THERE WOULD BE A GENERAL

ELECTION IN BRITAIN SOMETIME IN THE FIRST 6 MONTHS OF 1992 WHICH

MIGHT CAUSE DIFFICULTY BUT THAT OFFICIALS SHOULD NEVERTHELESS TRY TO ESTABLISH EXACT DATES. TIAN SAID THAT THE IMPROVEMENT IN BILATERAL RELATIONS COULD BE INCREASED THROUGH SUCH VISITS. CHINA WAS READY TO WORK WITH BRITAIN TO MAINTAIN THE MOMENTUM. ALTHOUGH THE TWO COUNTRIES DIFFERED IN SOCIAL VALUES AND SYSTEMS GOOD

RELATIONS COULD BE SUSTAINED BY MUTUAL RESPECT AND SETTING ASIDE DIFFERENCES.

4. TIAN SAID THAT ZOU JIAHUA'S VISIT TO BRITAIN HAD BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL. THE TWO SIDES WERE NOW WORKING TO FINALISE SEVERAL

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