TNAG-2752-FCO40-3967-Organisation-for-Economic-Co-operation-and-Development-(OECD-1994 — Page 56

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but it is significant that our extensive participation in the OECD's workshops with NIEs/DAEs/DNMEs since 1989 has not drawn any adverse comment from the Chinese side. According to Mr. Taniguchi, the Deputy Secretary General of the OECD, China herself is interested in a dialogue with the OECD and MOFTEC missions had been sent to the OECD to build up contacts with the latter. I agree entirely that we should adopt a low-key, approach in briefing the Chinese on our plan for observership, as in the past, along the lines suggested in paragraph 4 your letter of 21 October.

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You will be interested to know that our lobbying of major OECD players has gone very well. Apart from UK (Ambassador MacInnes has been extremely helpful all along), US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Germany and Japan have confirmed their official support (Japanese officials have confirmed their instructions from Tokyo to support our application to the Director-General of Trade here and to our Geneva Office). Details of responses from other players are set out in my minute to the Governor via the FS, copied to you. Barring any public, adverse reaction from China, our application should receive a fair wind from the Trade Committee and the Council.

You will notice from Brian's minute to the Governor that Tony Miller, DG of Trade, briefed his MOFTEC contact Mr. Long Yongtu of our plans over dinner last Friday, but drew a blank response.

On Michael Sze's advice Brian has asked Linus Cheung of Cathay Pacific to brief Mr. Chen Zuo-er of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office. Depending on Chen's reaction which may require our line with the Chinese to be modified somewhat, I would suggest that DPA be invited to brief his NCNA contact fairly soon, say one week ahead of our application to the OECD (by way of a letter from us to the OECD Secretary General), which we intend to submit before the end of this month. I will let you know Chen's reaction as soon as I have heard from Linus Cheung.

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