TNAG-2794-FCO40-4034-Relations-between-Hong-Kong-and-Taiwan-1993 — Page 34

{

Mr Hum

PS/Mr Goodlad

Private Secretary

RECEN

L

CONFIDENTIAL

HKC 020/5

2J0, 1993

DESK OF

pa

STRY

FROM:

An Take

DATE:

**CC:

G Fry

Mr Butts of

Jills

Far Eastern Department

18 May 1993

PS/PUS

Sir John Coles

Mr Crowe

Mr Mingay

Joint Directorate

Mr Ricketts, HKD Mr Wye, RAD

Mr Love, OT2/DTI

Mr Newman, DESO, MOD Mr Wilkinson, Planners Miss Barrett, Legal

Advisers

Mr Tebbit, ERD

Ms Corner, Cabinet Office British Embassy, Peking

A

POLICY TOWARDS TAIWAN

1.

(45

Mr Sawers's minute of 13 May asked for advice on the

options for taking further the steady build-up of our ties with

Taiwan.

Our Objectives and Progress so far

-

2. Our objectives in relation to Taiwan are essentially

commercial. Our exports in 1992 totalled £545 million compared

with £430 million to mainland China. Among EC countries, this

places us 3rd in the rankings after Germany and France (the latter being just ahead because of recent large defence sales).

Total British investment in Taiwan amounts to in excess of £350

million, with ICI leading the field. Taiwan is already a modest source of inward investment (4 cases with more possibilities in the pipeline). For the future, the most important development is likely to be the joint venture between BAe and the Taiwan Aerospace Corporation to continue and develop the Regional Jet

programme, but other companies including GEC and Nuclear Electric are also pursuing large contracts.

SBTAIWAN

CONFIDENTIAL

48