(U) HONG KONG-TAIWAN: TAICHUNG MAYOR'S APRIL

C O N F I D E N T I A L STATE 047311 NOFORN SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/08/2034 TAGS: PINR PGOV PREL HK TW SUBJECT: (U) HONG KONG-TAIWAN: TAICHUNG MAYOR'S APRIL VISIT TO HONG KONG (C-AL9-00948) REF: A. HONG KONG 000746 ¶B. HONG KONG 002002 Classified By: SUZANNE MCCORMICK, DIR., INR/OPS. REASON: 1.4(C). ¶1. (C/NF) WASHINGTON ANALYSTS GREATLY APPRECIATE REF REPORTS FOR PROVIDING ADDITIONAL INSIGHT INTO DEVELOPMENTS IN THE HONG KONG-TAIWAN RELATIONSHIP AS REPORTED IN OPEN PRESS, PARTICULARLY TAICHUNG MAYOR JASON HU'S RECENT VISIT TO HONG KONG. ANALYSTS FOUND ESPECIALLY HELPFUL THE VIEWS OF SHIU SIN-POR AND LOOK FORWARD TO ANY INFORMATION FROM SHIU IN THE FUTURE REGARDING THE CPU STUDY. ANALYSTS ARE CLOSELY MONITORING HONG KONG'S TIES WITH TAIWAN AND PLAN TO PRODUCE A WRITTEN PRODUCT ON THIS TOPIC. ANALYSTS WELCOME FURTHER INFORMATION, AS TIME AND RESOURCES ALLOW, ABOUT WHAT SPECIFIC POLITICAL AGENDAS, IF ANY, ARE DRIVING THIS SHIFT IN HONG KONG'S POLICY. ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION POSTS ACQUIRE IN THE NORMAL COURSE OF BUSINESS REGARDING HONG KONG-TAIWAN RELATIONS AND BEIJING'S ROLE, IF ANY, BEHIND THESE DEVELOPING TIES WOULD BE HIGHLY VALUED. MANY THANKS, AND WARM REGARDS FROM WASHINGTON. ¶A. (C/REL TO AUS,CAN,NZL,GBR,USA) DID HONG KONG RECEIVE PERMISSION OR DIRECTION FROM BEIJING BEFORE EXTENDING AN INVITATION TO JASON HU? IF SO, WHAT, DOES BEIJING SEE AS THE BENEFIT(S) OF INCREASED HK-TAIWAN TIES? ¶B. (C/REL TO AUS,CAN,NZL,GBR,USA) WHAT WAS THE PURPOSE OF TAICHUNG MAYOR JASON HU'S RECENT VISIT TO HONG KONG? ¶C. (C/REL TO AUS,CAN,NZL,GBR,USA) WHO, IF ANYONE, IN THE TAIWAN GOVERNMENT OR THE KMT APPROVED/ENCOURAGED JASON HU'S VISIT TO HONG KONG? ¶D. (C/REL TO AUS,CAN,NZL,GBR,USA) DOES CE DONALD TSANG EXPECT TO RECEIVE ADDITIONAL LOCAL OR NATIONAL TAIWAN OFFICIALS IN THE NEAR FUTURE? HAS HE INVITED ANY OTHER TAIWAN OFFICIALS? ¶E. (C/REL TO AUS,CAN,NZL,GBR,USA) HAS TAIWAN RECIPROCATED ON THESE OFFERS? WHICH HONG KONG OFFICIALS HAVE SCHEDULED VISITS TO TAIWAN? ¶2. (U) PLEASE CITE C-AL9-00948 IN THE SUBJECT LINE OF REPORTING IN RESPONSE TO THE ABOVE QUESTIONS. CLINTON