RESTRICTED
FM ATTC TAIPEI
TO DESKBY 08110OZ FCO
TELNO 66
OF 080904Z MARCH 93
RESTRICTED
RECEIVED KA
MAK 1993
DESK CRVICEK
INDEX
PA
AND TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG, TOKYO
INFO PRIORITY SEOUL, PEKING, DTI, BONN
28
041005
MDHIAN 2433
ра
ниран HEGAHWAN.
TOKYO FOR HEAD OF FED
MY TELNO 65 (NOT TO ALL): CHANGE IN TAIWANESE REPRESENTATIVE IN LONDON
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SUMMARY
TAI'S APPOINTMENT TO THE SECRETARY GENERAL'S OFFICE CONFIRMED. SURPRISE SWITCH IN CANDIDATE FOR LONDON. APPOINTMENT OF EX- MINISTER OF TRANSPORTATION AND COMMUNICATIONS AN INDICATION OF WISH TO IMPROVE RELATIONS WITH THE UK IN THE COMMERCIAL FIELD. UK'S INFORMAL REACTIONS URGENTLY REQUESTED. TAI REQUESTS INFORMAL MEETING WITH HONG KONG GOVERNMENT.
2. DETAIL
RAYMOND TAI'S APPOINTMENT AS DEPUTY SECRETARY GENERAL TO THE PRESIDENT WAS ANNOUNCED ON 5 MARCH AND REPORTED IN THE PRESS THE FOLLOWING DAY. AT A DINNER WHICH I GAVE FOR HIM ON 5 MARCH, HE TOLD ME THAT HE HAD BEEN LOBBYING AGAINST THE APPOINTMENT OF AMBASSADOR CHARLES SHU-CHI KING ON THE GROUNDS THAT HE WAS A TRADITIONALIST DIPLOMAT OF THE CY FANG MOULD WHO WOULD DO LITTLE TO DEVELOP UK/TAIWAN RELATIONS ALONG THE COMMERCIAL LINES WHICH THEY WERE NOW SUCCESSFULLY FOLLOWING. HE AND OTHERS HAD PROPOSED TO PRESIDENT LEE THAT EUGENE Y H CHIEN, FORMERLY MINISTER OF TRANSPORTATION AND COMMUNICATIONS, SHOULD BE SENT TO LONDON, INSTEAD OF GERMANY WHICH HAD BEEN WIDELY EXPECTED. THERE WAS RESISTANCE IN THE FOREIGN MINISTRY TO THIS, BUT TAI WAS REASONABLY CONFIDENT THAT PRESIDENT LEE WOULD ENDORSE EUGENE CHIEN FOR LONDON.
3. TAI CALLED ME OVER THE WEEKEND TO SAY THAT THE PRESIDENT AND FREDERICK CHIEN, THE FOREIGN MINISTER, WERE NO IN AGREEMENT THAT EUGENE CHIEN (NO RELATION) SHOULD SUCCEED RAYMOND TAI IN LONDON AND THAT TAI SHOULD RETURN TO TAIPEI 'VERY SOON' THE ARGUMENT IN FAVOUR OF EUGENE CHIEN HAD BEEN THAT HIS STRONG BACKGROUND IN TECHNOLOGY (HE IS A PH.D. IN AERONAUTICS AND ASTRONAUTICS FROM
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