TNAG-2750-FCO40-3965-Most-favoured-nation-status-for-China-Hong-Kong-interests-1993 — Page 321

FCO40 Hong Kong Department Records 聯邦事務部香港部檔案 All

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MOTTAN 4505

CONFIDENTIAL

MB 091/1

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INDL

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Richelts

Mr Morris

Miss Bouch

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CONFIDENTIAL

FM WASHINGTON

TO TELELETTER FCO

TELELETTER NFR

OF 150001Z JANUARY 93

AND TO TELELETTER PEKING, HONG KONG

FROM: S D PATTISON, WASHINGTON

TO:

W MORRIS ESQ., FED, FCO

CC:

T FURNESS ESQ. HKD, FCO

·

CHANCERY PEKING

S BRADLEY ESQ., HONG KONG

on RF file plo.

15/1

U.S./CHINA

1

·

I HAVE SPOKEN RECENTLY TO STATE AND NSC ABOUT THE PROSPECTS FOR

U.S./CHINA RELATIONS, AND MFN. BOTH EXPRESSED CONCERNS ABOUT

CHINESE BEHAVIOUR ON TRADE ISSUES, AND ON MISSILE PROLIFERATION.

2. THE U.S./CHINA TRADE IMBALANCE WAS GROWING: NSC THOUGHT IT

MIGHT REACH DOLLARS 20 BILLION THIS YEAR. STATE POINTED OUT THAT

THE IMBALANCE WITH A QUOTE GREATER CHINA UNQUOTE (I.E. INCLUDING

HONG KONG AND TAIWAN) HAD REMAINED FAIRLY STABLE. BUT THE U.S.

WAS NOW IMPORTING MORE FROM THE PRC AT THE EXPENSE OF HONG KONG AND TAIWAN.

3. NSC SAID THAT THEY WERE PARTICULARLY WORRIED THAT THE CHINESE

WERE NOT MOVING FAST ENOUGH TO IMPLEMENT THE MARKET ACCESS AGREEMENT. THERE HAD BEEN NO PROGRESS IN OPENING THE CHINESE

SERVICES SECTOR. THERE WAS UNCERTAINTY ABOUT HOW QUICKLY THE CHINESE WOULD REMOVE CERTAIN TARIFFS. NSC SAID THAT, AGAINST THE BACKGROUND OF THE WORSENING TRADE IMBALANCE, IF CONGRESS THOUGHT THE CHINESE WERE DRAGGING THEIR FEET ON MARKET ACCESS, THE

PROSPECTS FOR MEN WOULD BE SERIOUSLY DAMAGED. NSC SAID THE ADMINISTRATION WAS MONITORING THE SITUATION CAREFULLY. THEY WOULD PRESS PEKING TO DO MORE, BUT KEEP THE IDEA OF TRADE SANCTIONS AT THE BACK OF THEIR MIND IN CASE THERE WAS NO PROGRESS.

4.

ON PROLIFERATION, BOTH STATE AND NSC SAID THEY WERE WATCHING THE SITUATION CAREFULLY. AS WE KNEW, ALTHOUGH THERE HAD SO FAR

1

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CONFIDENTIAL

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