TNAG-2291-FCO40-3300-Relations-between-Hong-Kong-and-Taiwan-1991 — Page 106

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CONFIDENTIAL

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2 0 FEB 1991

Mr Jonty

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From:

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Taiwan /HK. 14/2.

PS/Lord Caithness

Date: 13 February 1991

CC:

Mr McLaren

ACTION EA,

Mr Burns

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Mr Davies, FED

TAIWAN: "GREY AREA" EXPORTS:

14/2

2

PATROL BOATS FOR COASTGUARD

Mr Burns passed on to me your submission of 7 February. The Minister is content with the recommendation.

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2.

This is the second submission that the Minister has seen in the last couple of days about Taiwan. He saw yesterday your submission on UK-Taiwan airlinks. He believes that we should be robust in developing our relations with Taiwan and not be excessively sensitive to Chinese protestations. He notes, for example, that Canada appears to have got away for the moment with its unilateral establishment of airlinks with Taiwan. Clearly, in our case Hong Kong is a factor. Nor would he wish to push matters to the point where the Chinese reaction might be damaging to British interests either diplomatically or commercially. But we should be wary of leaving the Taiwanese field open to European and other competitors.

3.

I understand that you are about to recommend that we beef-up the staffing of the Visa Handling Unit. Advice is also outstanding on the issue of airlinks. I see from your minute of 25 January that Mr Burns may be convening a meeting to consider some aspects of our relations with Taiwan. The Minister would find it helpful if in due course you were to submit a paper setting out our approach to the development of relations with Taiwan.

Ut Tim

Peter Tibber

PS/Lord Caithness

13 February 1991

CONFIDENTIAL