CONFIDENTIAL
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MDLIAN
COMMITTEE IN TAIPEI. THIS DESCRIBES NI'S SIGNIFICANT ASSOCIATION WITH THE UK IN HIS PRESENT JOB, AND EXPLAINS THAT HE IS SEEKING TO TRANSFER FROM THE MINISTRY OF ECONOMIC AFFAIRS TO THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS (MFA) IN ORDER TO TAKE UP THE POST IN HONG KONG. THIS IS PRESUMABLY BECAUSE THE POSITION HAS HITHERTO BEEN AN MFA POSTING. IF NI WERE TO REMAIN IN GOVERNMENT SERVICE, PARTICULARLY AT THE SENIOR LEVEL OF A DIRECTOR-GENERAL, HIS COMING TO HONG KONG WOULD REPRESENT AN UPGRADING OF THE TAIWANESE PRESENCE HERE.
5. ALTHOUGH NI'S APPOINTMENT HAS BEEN AIRED IN THE PRESS, THE NCNA HAVE YET TO APPROACH US ABOUT IT SPECIFICALLY. THEY HAVE, HOWEVER, WARNED AGAINST US ALLOWING THE TAIWANESE TO UPGRADE' THEIR RELATIONS WITH HONG KONG. IT MUST BE HIGHLY LIKELY THAT, AT SOME STAGE, THE NCNA WILL RAISE THIS APPOINTMENT WITH US. YOU WILL RECALL THE FUSS THAT THEY MADE ABOUT THE TAIPEI TRADE CENTRE AND THE PROPOSED VISIT BY LI WEN-LIAN TO OPEN IT (MY TELNO 1128).
6. ON THE OTHER HAND, IF WE REFUSED NI A VISA, THE TAIWANESE WOULD CLAIM THAT SUCH AN ACT WENT COMPLETELY AGAINST THE TREND OF THE UK'S CONTACTS WITH TAIWAN AND OUR OWN DEVELOPING ECONOMIC RELATIONS. THEY MIGHT WELL THREATEN SOME SORT OF ECONOMIC RETALIATION.
7. I SEE THE WAY THROUGH THIS TANGLE AS BEING TO PERMIT NI TO COME TO HONG KONG, BUT TO INSIST THAT HE RETIRES FROM THE GOVERNMENT AND WORKS IN HONG KONG IN A PRIVATE CAPACITY, AS HEAD THE CHUNG HWA TRAVEL AGENCY WITH ITS PRESENT FUNCTIONS, AND NOTHING MORE. THIS WOULD GIVE THE TAIWANESE THE MAN THEY WANT, BUT ENABLE US TO TELL THE CHINESE THAT HE IS A PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL COMING TO HEAD THE TRAVEL AGENCY. WE WOULD ASK NI TO SIGN A
LETTER TO THAT EFFECT.
8. WE HAVE RECEIVED AN APPLICATION FOR NI, WHO IS AT PRESENT IN EUROPE, TO VISIT HONG KONG ON 6 JUNE ON HIS WAY BACK TO TAIWAN. TENG WILL BE HIS SPONSOR. WE PROPOSE TO APPROVE A VISA FOR HIM, · SUBJECT TO THE USUAL CAVEATS ABOUT OFFICIAL ACTIVITIES.
9.
GRATEFUL FOR YOUR VIEWS ON THE PROPOSAL IN PARA. 7 ABOVE.
WILSON
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CONFIDENTIAL
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