CONFIDENTIAL
007371 MDHIAN 527
TO EXPLAIN WHY IT WAS THAT WE WERE NOT PROPOSING A VISIT TO PEKING FOR LORD WAKEHAM. A YUEYANG CENTRED VISIT MIGHT INCLUDE ANOTHER IMPORTANT PROVINCIAL DESTINATION, EG SHANGHAI. HANDLING TWO CABINET LEVEL VISITS AT THE SAME TIME WOULD PUT STRAINS ON THE EMBASSY BUT IT WOULD NOT BE ALTOGETHER IMPOSSIBLE. THE MINISTER AND A MEMBER OF THE COMMERCIAL SECTION COULD ACCOMPANY LORD WAKEHAM, WHILE I AND THE COMMERCIAL COUNSELLOR REMAINED IN PEKING TO LOOK AFTER MR HESELTINE. THIS WOULD NOT BE AN IDEAL ARRANGEMENT
BUT WE HOPE LORD WAKEHAM WOULD UNDERSTAND.
7.
I ASSUME THAT MINISTERS WILL NOT WANT TO PUT EITHER PROPOSALS TO THE CHINESE FOR SOME TIME YET: THEY WILL WANT TO SEE HOW THE SITUATION OVER HONG KONG DEVELOPS. BUT IF THEY DO EVENTUALLY CONCLUDE THAT THE VISIT(S) SHOULD GO AHEAD WE WILL HAVE LITTLE OR NO FLEXIBILITY OVER DATES. THIS MEANS THAT WE MUST AIM TO PUT A PROPOSAL OR PROPOSALS TO THE CHINESE IN MARCH OR EARLY APRIL AT THE LATEST. OTHERWISE WE MAY FIND THAT OTHER VISITORS HAVE PRE-EMPTED THE PERIOD WE WANT, WHICH IS ALWAYS A POPULAR ONE.
8. ONE FINAL POINT. THE LETTER FROM LORD WAKEHAM'S PRIVATE SECRETARY TO THE PRIVATE SECRETARY OF 15 DECEMBER (FAXED WITH BRISTOW-SMITH'S LETTER UNDER REFERENCE) SAYS THAT A VISIT DURING THE WHITSUN RECESS WOULD BE ACCEPTABLE BOTH TO THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT AND THE EMBASSY. WE CERTAINLY GAVE A GENERAL WELCOME TO THE IDEA, BEFORE WE KNEW OF MR HESELTINE'S PROVISIONAL PLAN. WE HAVE NOT/NOT SAID ANYTHING TO THE CHINESE HERE.
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