§ Mr. Lathamasked the Prime Minister whether she will list all official visits made by Ministers in the present Administration to the People's Republic of China, outlining their specific purpose in each case; whether she will also list the visits made to the United Kingdom by Ministers or senior Communist Party functionaries of China acting in a quasi-official capacity during the same period, and whether she is satisfied with the numerical balance and seniority of these official exchanges.
§ The Prime MinisterI am generally satisfied with the numerical balance and seniority of official exchanges with China. In addition to the following ministerial visits we have been glad to welcome a good number of Chinese Vice-Ministers with varying responsibilities. The purpose of each visit was to promote closer co-operation in the specific area of each Minister's departmental responsibilities. I look forward very much to my own visit to China in September.
(a) Official Visits by Ministers of the present Administration to the People's Republic of China:
- March 1980
- Minister for Health
- March 1980
- Secretary of State for Defence
- April 1980
- Minister of Transport
66 - November 1980
- Under-Secretary of State for Trade
- April 1981
- Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
- April 1981
- Under-Secretary of State for Defence for the Royal Air Force
- December 1981
- Minister for Trade
- January 1982
- Lord Privy Seal
(b) Official Visits to the United Kingdom by Ministers or Senior Communist Party Functionaries of China:
- June 1979
- Wang Meng, Minister of the State Physical Culture and Sports Commission
- July 1979
- Huo Shilian, Minister of Agriculture
- September 1979
- Jiang Nanxiang, Minister of Education
- October 1979
- Hua Guofeng, Premier of the State Council; Yu Qiuli, Vice-Premier and Minister of the State Planning Commission, Huang Hua, Minister of Foreign Affairs
- November 1979
- Guo Weicheng, Minister of Railways
- June 1980
- Kang Shi'en, Vice-Premier and Minister of State Economic Commission; Song Zhenming, Minister of Petroleum Industry.
In addition, Premier Zhao Ziyang visited the United Kingdom in June 1979 in his then capacity of Chairman of the Sichuan Provincial Revolutionary Committee.