RESTRICTED
ZCZC
RESTRICTED
FM FCO
TO PRIORITY ATTC TAIPEI
TELNO
OF 191408Z MAY 93
INFO PRIORITY PEKING, HONG KONG, BTC HONG KONG,
INFO PRIORITY WASHINGTON
YOUR TELNO 121 AND FCO TELNO 64: UK/TAIWAN AEROSPACE
COLLABORATION
PRIORITY
1.
As part of a wider review of our policy towards Taiwan, we have considered the Taiwan authorities' proposals to appoint a serving officer to the staff of TRO (effectively a "Defence Attache") and to send their service chiefs on private visits to
the UK.
2.
We believe that we should continue to be cautious about
defence sales to Taiwan. This is a particularly sensitive area for the Chinese. Reports from Paris suggest that the Chinese
response to the Mirages sale has had some effect on French
commercial and wider interests in China. Our responsibility for
Hong Kong gives us extra reason for caution. We therefore see no need to change our existing guide-lines at the present time.
3=
Against the background, we can see no advantage and some
risks
FED
JULIA PAINTING
270-2954
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