TNAG-2714-FCO40-3920-House-of-Commons-Select-Committee-on-Foreign-Affairs-enquiry-1993 — Page 92

RESTRICTED

MDHC

177651,

SEASON, THE VISIT DOES NOT APPEAR TO CLASH WITH ANY OTHER MAJOR VISITS, ALTHOUGH WE NOTE THE ASIA FORUM MEETING IN HONG KONG FROM 13-15 OCTOBER AND THE GOVERNOR'S ADDRESS TO LEGCO ON 13 OCTOBER.

B)

ITINERARY. IN OUR VIEW, IT WOULD MAKE SENSE FOR THE COMMITTEE TO TRAVEL FROM PEKING AND SHANGHAI TO GUANGDONG AND HONG KONG, ADDING TAIWAN AS A FINAL PORT OF CALL, RATHER THAN COMING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ITINERARY, IF THE COMMITTEE PERSIST IN WANTING TO INCLUDE TAIWAN. THIS WOULD HELP PRESENTATIONALLY WITH THE CHINESE WHO ARE LIKELY TO GRUMBLE ABOUT THE VISIT TO TAIWAN, AS THEY DID OVER THE TRADE AND INDUSTRY COMMITTEE'S VISIT LAST YEAR.

GIVEN SHANGHAI'S IMPORTANCE IN CHINA'S CURRENT ECONOMIC PLANS AND STATEMENTS THAT IT COULD POSSIBLY REPLACE HONG KONG AS A FINANCIAL CENTRE, THE COMMITTEE SHOULD VISIT SHANGHAI IF AT ALL POSSIBLE. THIS WOULD ALSO GIVE THEM A MORE BALANCED VIEW OF CHINA'S CURRENT STATE OF DEVELOPMENT.

OUR VIEW IS THAT THE COMMITTEE MIGHT BEST USE SATURDAY 16 OCTOBER AS A WORKING DAY AND SUNDAY 17 OCTOBER FOR TRAVELLING, POSSIBLY FROM SHANGHAI TO CANTON.

C)

-

WITHIN CHINA, WE ASSUME THE FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE OF THE NPC WOULD WELCOME ADVICE ON THE TIMING AND METHOD OF AN APPROACH TO THE CHINESE.

G

IN TAIWAN, WE ASSUME THAT THE COMMITTEE WILL NOT NEED A FORMAL HOST BUT WOULD WELCOME MR MORRICE'S CONFIRMATION (WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE EMPLOYMENT SELECT COMMITTEE ARE NOT BEING HOSTED). THIS WOULD HELP REBUT ANY CHINESE ASSERTIONS OF OFFICIAL INVOLVEMENT WITH THE TAIWANESE.

D) A SENSITIVE ASPECT OF THE TRIP IS LIKELY TO BE CHINESE ATTITUDES TO THE LEVEL AND NATURE OF OUR DEALINGS WITH TAIWAN WHICH IS WHY IT WILL BE BETTER FOR THE COMMITTEE TO VISIT TAIWAN LAST.

IT IS, OF COURSE, IMPOSSIBLE TO KNOW AT THIS STAGE WHERE WE WILL STAND ON HONG KONG AND THE COMMITTEE WILL NEED CAREFUL BRIEFING ON HONG KONG ISSUES.

IT IS SIMILARLY DIFFICULT TO KNOW WHETHER OR NOT WE WILL HAVE BEEN ABLE BY THEN TO RAISE WITH THE CHINESE THE ISSUE OF

2

PAGE RESTRICTED

1963