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5. I AM GLAD TO SEE FROM PARA 11 OF TUR THAT THERE IS NO INTENTION TO ALLOW THESE RATHER HYSTERICAL REACTIONS TO INTERFERE WITH THE FORTHCOMING VISIT OF HONG KONG'S DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF TRADE TO TAIPEI IN DECEMBER, K S SHEU, DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF THE BOARD OF FOREIGN TRADE HERE, REFERRED WARMLY TO THE VISIT WHEN I CALLED ON HIM LAST WEEK WITH GODWIN (APAG) AND SIMMONS (ATTC). I SAID THAT WE WELCOMED THE VISIT WHICH WAS MADE POSSIBLE BECAUSE OF THE APEC FRAMEWORK. SHEU RATHER ENIGMATICALLY SAID THAT THAT WAS HOW WE MIGHT SEE THINGS, BUT THEY LOOKED ON IT RATHER DIFFERENTLY, AND MORE AS OLD FRIENDS GETTING TOGETHER AGAIN. I SAID THAT BE THAT AS IT MAY, THE MEETING WAS NONETHELESS TAKING PLACE WITHIN THE APEC CONTEXT.
6. GIVEN THESE DEVELOPMENTS, INCLUDING THE HIGH PROFILE TAKEN BY NI IN HONG KONG LAST WEEK AND SHEU'S RATHER PROVOCATIVE ATTITUDE OVER THE FORTHCOMING VISIT, I RECOMMEND THAT WE TELL THE TAIWANESE TO COOL THINGS AND TO PLAY THE VISIT IN LOW KEY AND AS PART OF TAIWAN'S DEVELOPING RELATIONSHIP WITH APEC.
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A FURTHER DEVELOPMENT IS THE ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE GOVERNMENT INFORMATION OFFICE (GIO) CARRIED IN TODAY'S PRESS THAT TAIWAN WILL OPEN A TAIPEI CULTURE AND NEWS CENTRE IN HONG KONG 'NEXT SPRING'. QUOTING WILLIAM LI, DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HONG KONG AND MACAU AFFAIRS OF THE MAINLAND AFFAIRS COUNCIL (MAC) THE EXECUTIVE YUAN HAS APPROVED THE PROJECT AND HAS INSTRUCTED THE GIO TO PUT IT INTO EFFECT. (PRESS ARTICLES IN ENGLISH BY FAX TO FED AND DPA, HONG KONG). I HAVE ASKED JASON HU, DIRECTOR- GENERAL OF THE GIO, FOR FURTHER DETAILS.
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