TNAG-2794-FCO40-4034-Relations-between-Hong-Kong-and-Taiwan-1993 — Page 42

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b)

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This would represent a new level of access for the TRO (see

also below). More important however for the UK interests is the overall impact which this mission will have on our commercial prospects.

our Ministerial visits to Taiwan have so far been at

Minister of State level. I recommend that if there was a

good practical reason, we should agree to a visit at

Cabinet level. The obvious possibility would be a visit by

the President of the Board of Trade to clinch the BAe

regional jet deal. Obviously the Chinese would be much

more sensitive about such a visit than the low-key visits

we have had so far, but as long as the purpose was а

practical one and we produced a suitable "private" pretext,

we should be able to defend it. Also, to date we have been

limiting Ministerial visits to around 3 a year. I

recommend that we gradually shorten the gap between such

visits.

c)

FCO contact with the Taiwanese has not so far been above

AUS level. I recommend that we look for opportunities to

raise this. The AUS and Head of FED have regular lunches

with the Taiwan Representative, hosted by a former

Ambassador Sir W Bentley. At some stage we could involve

Sir J Coles in this series. We could also look for a

suitable opportunity for an unofficial contact on neutral

ground with Mr Goodlad. One possibility may be the

forthcoming private visit of a parliamentary delegation

from Taiwan in July (with which we are offering a small

amount of discreet help). Assuming that the UK-Taiwan

Parliamentary Group (chaired by Mr William Powell MP) hosts

a reception in the House, Mr Goodlad might look in.

purpose would be to show FCO support for our closer ties

with Taiwan. We would expect Mr Needham and perhaps

Scottish/Welsh Ministers also to attend.

The

SBTAIWAN

CONFIDENTIAL