TNAG-2750-FCO40-3965-Most-favoured-nation-status-for-China-Hong-Kong-interests-1993 — Page 109

CHINA'S BUY AMERICA CAMPAIGN

Chinese leaders have gone out of their way in meetings with Codels and other U.S. visitors to signal an interest in doing more business with U.S. companies. At least eight buying missions have either visited the U.S. since the beginning of the year or are scheduled to arrive this spring. These missions have the potential to generate billions of dollars of exports of aircraft, autos, satellites, oil drilling equipment, aviation electronics, wheat, fertilizer, and other U.S. products.

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February 7-14. AT&T hosted State Planning Commission Vice Chairman Ye Qing on a visit to AT&T's headquarters and various manufacturing sites. The trip led to signing on February 23 of a cooperation agreement opening up China's lucrative market for digital switching equipment to a new AT&T joint venture.

March 10-24. Liu Jiyuan, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Aerospace Industries, met with Hughes Space Communications on a cooperation agreement that could lead to purchase of five satellites over five years. Value of this purchase could exceed $750 million.

March 15-29. Li Zhao, Deputy Director General of CAAC, visited Boeing to discuss purchasing or leasing up to 40 aircraft valued at $1 billion.

April 3-8. Wang Tao, President of the China National Petroleum Corporation, leads a delegation to Louisiana, Texas, and Washington, D.C. to encourage U.S. companies to participate in the opening of the Tarim Basin to oil exploration and development by foreign companies. The delegation also expects to purchase $200 million worth of U.S. oil exploration equipment.

April 7-17. Wang Shumin, Deputy Director General of the State Council, will lead a joint civilian-military team for talks on airspace management. He will also meet with Boeing, McDonnell Douglas, and other companies on modernization of China's air traffic control system.

April 7-24. State Planning Commission Vice Chairman Gan Ziyu leads a mission to buy cars from GM, Ford, and Chrysler. Purchases are expected to exceed that of a similar mission last summer which bought 7000 vehicles. Gan will also visit Boeing in Seattle, where a $600 million contract is expected to be signed.

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