TNAG-2356-FCO40-3427-Ministerial-visits-from-the-UK-to-Hong-Kong-1991 — Page 121

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HKD 026/10

INFO ROUTINE F C O, HONG KONG, B TC HONG KONG

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MDLIAN 3271

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FCO FOR FED

BTC HONG KONG FOR SBTC AND CTU

YOUR TELNO GRUBX 14: MAFF MINISTER'S VISIT TO CHINA AND HONG KONG.

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ACTING ON TUR, RECEIVED HERE ONLY ON 13 AUGUST, FIRST AND SECOND SECRETARIES (COMMERCIAL) CALLED ON MR HUANG YONGNING, / DIRECTOR GENERAL OF THE DEPARTMENT OF INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION

AT THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE ON 15 AUGUST.

2. HUANG WELCOMED THE PROSPECT OF A VISIT BY MR GUMMER. HE WAS, HOWEVER, CONCERNED ABOUT THE PROBLEM OF ARRANGING SUITABLE CALLS AND VISITS DURING THE HOLIDAY PERIOD (THOUGH HE WAS UNSURE EXACTLY WHICH DAYS WOULD BE OBSERVED AS HOLIDAYS), AND SUGGESTED THAT MR GUMMER SHOULD BEGIN HIS VISIT EARLIER. HUANG ACCEPTED THAT THIS WOULD PRESENT DIFFICULTIES, AND SAID THAT IF THE VISIT WENT AHEAD AS PROPOSED THE MINISTRY WOULD DO THEIR BEST TO ARRANGE A SUITABLE PROGRAMME. HE UNDERTOOK TO REPORT OUR APPROACH TO HIS MINISTER

IMMEDIATELY AND TO LET US KNOW AS SOON AS POSSIBLE WHETHER THE

DATES SUGGESTED WERE ACCEPTABLE.

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CANDLISH INDICATED MR GUMMER'S INTERESTS AND THOUGHTS ON HIS PROGRAMME. HUANG TOOK NOTE OF THE MINISTER'S WISH TO TRAVEL TO GUANGZHOU, AND SUGGESTED THAT WHILE THERE MR GUMMER MIGHT LIKE TO SEE A FRESH WATER FISHERY AND VISIT THE SHENZHEN SPECIAL ECONOMIC

ZONE. HE ALSO ASKED ABOUT MR GUMMER'S PARTICULAR INTERESTS IN AGRICULTURE, SO THAT ANY VISITS TO FARMS AND RESEARCH INSTITUTES COULD BE TAILORED TO SUIT. HE MENTIONED IN PARTICULAR THE CHINESE ACADEMY OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES WHICH HAS VARIOUS RESEARCH PROJECTS IN THE BEIJING AREA. CANDLISH POINTED OUT THAT MR GUMMER WOULD HOPE WHERE POSSIBLE TO VISIT PROJECTS WITH A BRITISH CONNECTION OF SOME SORT. HE ALSO MADE CLEAR THAT THE MINISTER'S PORTFOLIO COVERS FOOD AND FOOD PROCESSING AND THAT HE WOULD WISH TO SEE SOMETHING OF ACTIVITIES IN THOSE FIELDS (WHICH ARE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE MINISTRIES OF LIGHT INDUSTRY AND COMMERCE).

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