TNAG-2761-FCO40-3978-Hong-Kong-Chinese-discrimination-against-UK-companies-Swire-1993 — Page 39

JOHN SWIRE & SONS LTD

Swire House

59 Buckingham Gate

London SWIE 6AJ

Registered Office

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31 DE 1992

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RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

6 ¡AN 1933

DESK OFFICER

INDEX

PA

REGISTRY

Autran filen

Telegrams:

204

TEMSELOAF LONDON SW1

Telephone: 071-834 7717

Fax: 071-630 0353

Teler: 888800

Answer back:

SWIRE G

Suth December, 1992.

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Registered Number 133143 ENGLAND

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From Sir Adrian Swire

Chairman

The Rt. Hon. Alastair Goodlad, MP,

Minister of State,

Foreign & Commonwealth Office,

King Charles Street,

LONDON, SW1A 2AL.

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M. Mann's

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211.

148) E

Dear Alastari.

149)

Thank you for your letter of December 16th in response to mine of December 7th. I am appreciative that you understand the delicate situation in which Swires finds itself.

I felt, however, that I ought at least to comment on your view that, once the political problems are resolved and the economic realities have reasserted themselves, then "you will find your relationship with China back pretty much to normal".

I am afraid that that would not be our judgment. The mutual confidence between Peking and Swires, built up over a long period, has certainly been impaired by recent developments, and we will be faced with the need to reconstruct, brick by brick, the understandings which had existed prior to the current political commotion. Peking will no doubt also expect an element of kowtow on our part and that particular pirouette will undoubtedly take some time to sort out! Meanwhile, for our part, we will do all that we can to keep the temperature down.

Happy New Year and please do not acknowledge.

Yours a

Aduai