TNAG-2358-FCO40-3429-Official-visits-from-the-UK-to-Hong-Kong-1991 — Page 21

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PEKING

OF 080056Z AUGUST 91

INFO PRIORITY FCO, DTI

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MDLIAN 1479

Dr Jox Gir робок

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INFO ROUTINE UKREP JLG HONG KONG, HONG KONG

DTI FOR LOVE OT2/2

HONG KONG FOR ACTING GOVERNOR AND POLITICAL ADVISER

FOR AMBASSADOR FROM HEAP

BRITISH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE VISIT TO BEIJING

SUMMARY

1. THE BRITISH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IN HONG KONG PROPOSES TO SEND A MISSION TO PEKING IN SEPTEMBER. IF ACCEPTABLE TO HMA AND TO THE

FCO I PROPOSE TO ACCOMPANY THEM.

DETAIL

2. THE BRITISH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IN HONG KONG PROPOSES TO SEND A DELEGATION TO PEKING FROM 15 - 19 SEPTEMBER. PLANNED PREVIOUS VISITS HAVE BEEN ABORTED BECAUSE OF THE POST-JUNE 1989 POLITICAL CLIMATE, AND ON ANOTHER OCCASION BECAUSE OF LACK OF SUPPORT. THIS VISIT LOOKS LIKELY TO GO AHEAD. WE ARE NOT BEING ASKED FOR ANY ASSISTANCE AT THIS STAGE ALTHOUGH I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT THE CHAMBER IN DUE COURSE MIGHT HOPE FOR SOME SUPPORT OR ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF THEIR PRESENCE FROM THE EMBASSY. THE NEW CHINA NEWS AGENCY IN HONG KONG HAS GIVEN THE VISIT SOME ENCOURAGEMENT AND THEY ARE TAKING THE LEAD ON PRODUCING A PROGRAMME. THE CHAMBER IS AIMING HIGH, AND HAS SUGGESTED MEETINGS WITH LU PING AND LI PENG.

3. YOU WILL BE AWARE THAT THE BRITISH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IN HONG

KONG IS A RELATIVELY RECENT CREATION. THEY ARE STILL TRYING TO

SETTLE INTO A ROLE, AND ARE ENVIOUS OF THE STRENGTH AND POSITION IN HONG KONG OF THE AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. THAT THE AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE HAS HAD SUCCESSFUL MISSIONS TO

PEKING AND HAS BEEN RECEIVED AT A HIGH LEVEL HAS NO DOUBT BEEN A FACTOR IN THE BRITISH CHAMBER'S PLANNED VISIT.

4. THE VISIT, WHICH HAS NOT BEEN DISCUSSED IN ANY DETAIL WITH US,

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