TNAG-2507-FCO40-3648-Official-visits-from-China-to-Hong-Kong-1992 — Page 24

031054Z

REFERRED TO MR RICKETTS, COPY PASSED PS/MR PATTEN LNMDAN 2188 HMLNAN 0555 RESTRICTED

ль

DD 03103OZ FCOLN

HKC 026/5

ре

FM HO NTO FCOLN

Na Mb 3/2

BL4 Patte

0309022 JUL

GRS 348

RESTRICTED

FM HONG KONG

TO DESKBY 03103OZ FCO

TELNO 1794

OF 030902Z JULY 92

1982 M Prote

L

fer

I've

・CM Sayfested he agre адра

PERSONAL FOR RICKETTS, HKD AND PS/MR PATTEN

VISIT BY CHINESE VICE PREMIER TIAN JIYUN

free with this advice. If he accepts,

il mill fe an body Contact will Chinese stor

1. WE HAVE NOTICED FROM VISA APPLICATIONS THAT CHINESE VICE PREMIER TIAN JIYUN WILL BE TRANSITING HONG KONG LATER THIS MONTH. AFTER CHECKING WITH NCNA, WE UNDERSTAND THAT HE WILL BE HERE ON THE WEEKEND 18-20 JULY.

2. LORD WILSON HAS MADE A PRACTICE OF INVITING SENIOR CHINESE VISITORS OF MINISTERIAL OR PROVINCIAL GOVERNOR RANK AND ABOVE TO CALL ON HIM. THOSE OF MINISTER/PROVINCIAL GOVERNOR RANK HAVE ALWAYS ACCEPTED, THOUGH SINCE 1989 NOT THOSE OF HIGHER RANK. VICE PREMIER ZHU RONGJI DECLINED THE GOVERNOR'S INVITAITON WHEN HE PASSED THROUGH HONG KONG LAST YEAR, THOUGH HE DID SEE THE GOVERNOR WHEN HE CAME AS MAYOR OF SHANGHAI IN 1990.

3. NCNA ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE GOVERNOR'S PRACTICE OF OFFERING TO SEE SENIOR VISITORS. IN RESPONSE TO OUR ENQUIRY ON THE DATES OF TIAN'S VISIT, AND PRESUMABLY EXPECTING US TO SUGGEST A CALL, THEY EMPHASISED THAT TIAN'S PASSAGE THROUGH HONG KONG WAS PURELY TRANSIT', AND THAT HE WOULD ONLY BE HAVING INFORMAL CHATS WITH OLD FRIENDS' AND DECLINING PUBLIC FUNCTIONS.

T

4. THIS CERTAINLY SOUNDS LIKE PRE-EMPTIVE DISCOURAGEMENT. NEVERTHELESS, WE STILL RECOMMEND THAT MR PATTEN SHOULD INVITE TIAN TO CALL ON HIM. TIAN LAST VISITED HONG KONG IN MAY 1988, WHEN HE WAS GIVEN DINNER BY LORD WILSON. CLEARLY IDENTIFIED AS A REFORMER, TIAN SUFFERED SOME LOSS OF INFLUENCE AFTER THE FALL OF ZHAO ZIYING IN 1989. (HE WAS A ZHAO PROTEGE FROM SICHUAN.) HIS RESPONSIBILITIES HAVE ALWAYS BEEN ON THE FINANCIAL AND ECONOMIC SIDE. CURRENTLY HE IS PRIMARILY RESPONSIBLE FOR AGRICULTURE, AND TO SOME EXTENT POLICY TOWARDS SPECIAL ECONOMIC ZONES.

5. IF TIAN WERE TO ACCEPT AN INVITATION TO MEET MR PATTEN, WE WOULD NEED TO JUGGLE WITH MR PATTEN'S EXISTING COMMITMENTS, BUT THIS SHOULD BE MANAGEABLE. WE WOULD EXPECT THE DISCUSSION TO CENTRE ON THE ECONOMIES OF CHINA AND HONG KONG AND THEIR GROWING INTER-RELATIONSHIP. BUT THE FACT OF THE MEETING ITSELF WOULD HAVE CONSIDERABLE PRESENTATIONAL BENEFITS.

6. GRATEFUL FOR MR PATTEN'S VIEWS.

WILSON

rising

YYYY

HMLNAN 0555