Page
RESTRICTED
110110 MOTTAN 7918
JINAN FOR THE OCCASION,
RETURNING ON THE MORNING OF 30 SEPTEMBER. FINALLY, ON THE EVENING OF 28 SEPTEMBER, SIR E HEATH WAS GUEST OF HONOUR AT A DINNER GIVEN BY TONY GREENER, CHIEF EXECUTIVE DESIGNATE OF UNITED DISTILLERS.
3.
R
I WAS PRESENT ON ALL THESE OCCASIONS. THE TREATMENT WHICH THE CHINESE ACCORDED TO SIR E HEATH REFLECTED THE HIGH REGARD IN WHICH HE CONTINUES TO BE HELD HERE AS AN OLD FRIEND OF CHINA' IT WAS NOT MERELY A QUESTION OF THE LEVEL AT WHICH HE WAS RECEIVED. IT EXTENDED, FOR EXAMPLE, TO THE PROVISION OF A POLICE ESCORT WHEREVER HE WENT AND/AND TRAFFIC POLICEMEN STATIONED ALONG THE ROUTE TO
CLEAR THE WAY. THIS ARRANGEMENT WAS PUT IN PLACE EVEN WHEN I TOOK SIR E HEATH AND HIS IMMEDIATE PARTY OUT FOR A QUIET PICNIC TO
JIETAISI AND TANZHESI ON THE SUNDAY ANOTHER SIGN OF FAVOUR WAS THE GIFT WHICH ZHU RONGJI PRESENTED TO SIR E HEATH SHORTLY BEFORE
WE SAT DOWN TO LUNCH ON 30 SEPTEMBER. THIS WAS A FRAMED PHOTOGRAPH OF DENG XIAOPING AND SIR E HEATH TAKEN IN 1980, SIGNED BY THE GREAT MAN HIMSELF (DENG, THAT IS) AND ONLY RECENTLY (OR SO ZHU SAID).
4.
2
SIR E HEATH'S MEETINGS WERE CHARACTERISED BY A CONSIDERABLE WARMTH AND BY AN ABSENCE OF WARNINGS ABOUT HONG KONG OR OF MESSAGES TO BE PASSED ON. THE CONTENT OF THESE MEETINGS WAS GENERALLY UNREMARKABLE. I HAVE TELEGRAPHED A RECORD OF WHAT LI PENG SAID
ABOUT HONG KONG (MY TELNO 1332). OTHER RECORDS WILL BE FAXED TO YOU IN DUE COURSE. JIANG ZEMIN, THOUGH AMIABLE, HAD LITTLE TO SAY OF ANY GREAT CONSEQUENCE. ZHU SPOKE INTERESTINGLY AND WITH AUTHORITY ABOUT THE CHINESE ECONOMY, WHERE HE SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN GIVEN INCREASING RESPONSIBILITIES. ALL THE CHINESE LEADERS SHOWED
CONSIDERABLE INTEREST IN EUROPE AND WHAT WAS LIKELY TO HAPPEN OVER
MAASTRICT AND THE ERM. IT WILL SURPRISE NO ONE THAT THE VIEWS
WHICH SIR E HEATH GAVE IN RESPONSE TO THEIR QUESTIONS WERE VERY
MUCH HIS OWN.
5.
I AM SENDING COPIES OF THIS TELELETTER TO ROBERT CALDER IN PRU, PETER RICKETTS IN HKD, AND TO WILLIAM EHRMAN AND TONY GALSWORTHY IN HONG KONG.
6.
FED REGISTRY PLEASE PASS TO PRU, FCO AND TO HKD, FCO.
ROBIN MCLAREN
YYYY
PAGE
2
RESTRICTED
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.