SECRET
UKC 026/5
+ APR 1997
TOP COPY Q DIST?
SECRET
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 1087
OF 16103OZ APRIL 92
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
см
17
110623
MDHIAN 0744
pa
Mhe Stone
PERSONAL FOR RICKETTS, HKD. FROM SECRETARY FOR MONETARY AFFAIRS.
LI GUIXIAN'S VISIT TO HONG KONG.
1. JIN QI, INTERNATIONAL DEPARTMENT OF THE PEOPLE'S BANK OF CHINA (PBC) TELEPHONED NORMAN CHAN (MAB) THIS AFTERNOON (16 APRIL) TO ENQUIRE WHETHER HKG COULD ARRANGE A PROGRAMME ON 7-8 MAY FOR CERTAIN PBC OFFICIALS WHO WOULD STAY ON IN HONG KONG AFTER THE ADB ANNUAL MEETING (4-6 MAY). JIN SAID SHE WOULD
DISCUSS DETAILS WITH CHAN UPON HER ARRIVAL IN HONG KONG ON 30 APRIL. CHAN SAID WE WOULD APPRECIATE MORE INFORMATION ON THE COMPOSITION OF THE PBC DELEGATION AND THE AREAS TO BE COVERED IN THE PROGRAMME. JIN SAID SHE COULD NOT BE TOO SPECIFIC AT THIS STAGE AND MOREOVER IT WAS NOT CONVENIENT TO DISCUSS DETAILS OVER THE TELEPHONE. HOWEVER, SHE REVEALED AFTER SOME PROBING THAT GOVERNOR LI GUIXIAN WOULD LIKE TO MAKE USE OF THE OPPORTUNITY OF HIS ATTENDANCE AT THE ADB ANNUAL MEETING TO MEET WITH THE RELEVANT AUTHORITIES IN HONG KONG. IT WAS NOT INTENDED TO ARRANGE ANY ENGAGEMENTS OUTSIDE THE HKG OR TO GIVE ANY PUBLICITY TO THESE ARRANGEMENTS. JIN ADDED THAT THE PROGRAMME WAS UNRELATED TO THE CONFIDENTIAL DIALOGUE.
2. CHAN SAID HE WOULD REPORT THE REQUEST TO FS AND LOOKED FORWARD TO MEETING JIN IN HONG KONG AT THE END OF THIS MONTH.
COMMENT
3. ON THE FACE OF IT, WE BELIEVE THE REQUEST FOR A PROGRAMME WAS PROMPTED BY A GENUINE WISH ON THE PART OF THE TOP PBC OFFICIALS TO UNDERSTAND HONG KONG FIRST HAND. THE ADB ANNUAL MEETING PROVIDES A NATURAL OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO WITHOUT THE RISK OF AROUSING UNNECESSARY SENSITIVITY, BEARING IN MIND LI GUIXIAN'S POSITION AS STATE COUNCILLOR. WE DOUBT IF THEY HAVE ANY SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES TO RAISE WITH US, AS THERE ALREADY EXISTS A SEPARATE CHANNEL FOR THIS PURPOSE. THE FACT THAT JIN CONTACTED M AB DIRECT RATHER THAN THROUGH THE DIPLOMATIC CHANNELS OR THE NCNA
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