TNAG-2794-FCO40-4034-Relations-between-Hong-Kong-and-Taiwan-1993 — Page 36

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c)

staff have virtually unrestricted access to the DTI and

several other government departments.

We now have a steady flow of Ministerial visits to Taiwan.

There were no such visits until early 1992 when Mr

Redwood, then Minister for Corporate Affairs at DTI went.

Mr Stewart, (Scottish Office) and Sir Wyn Roberts, (Welsh

Office) have also been. Further visits are already

planned for Mr Baldry, (PUSS, DOE) in June and Mr Needham

(DTI) in October. Interest has also been shown by

Mr Atkins (NIO), the Economic Secretary at the Treasury

and Mr Boswell (Department of Education).

All such visits are presented as private visits on the

invitation of some private organisation in Taiwan, but this

has not prevented Ministers from pursuing their business.

We have not yet had a visit by a Cabinet Minister.

Other visits which have significantly raised our profile in

Taiwan include that by Lady Thatcher in August 1992, and

that by the Governor-designate of the Bank of England in

February this year. Both met the President of Taiwan.

My

In 1992 the first visits from FED to Taiwan took place. predecessor went in June and the Assistant Head in

November. Members of RAD and of the Assessments Staff have

also visited for the first time. Meetings with government

officials were excluded.

SBTAIWAN

Parliamentary contacts have also increased. The Trade and

Industry Select Committee visited Taiwan in March 1992.

The Employment Committee will visit in late June 1993 and a

visit by the Foreign Affairs Committee has been proposed

for the autumn. The Anglo-Taiwan Parliamentary Group and

several individual MPs also visit Taiwan.

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