Mr. Wilkinson
SECRET
4/409
SINO-BRITISH RELATIONS
The Secretary of State is to hold a meeting on 26 March
to review Sino-British relations. The purpose of this minute
is to describe the present state of relations, set cut the
principal problems (many of them inter-connected) for decision,
and make proliminary recommendations.
given in Annexes.
INTRODUCTION
Supplementary detail is
2. The Chargé d'Affaires in Peking was surroned by Vice-
Minister for Foreign Affairs Lo Kuei-po on 8 March to receive
a statement to the effect that the Hong Kong situation was the
crux of Sino-British rolations; that the British Government
must reply to various demands put forward by the Chinese
Government on this subject; and that only thereafter would
it be possible to discuss "secondary matters".
3.
The "secondary nattera" which we now have at issue with
the Chinese are:-
(a) The detention, without consular access, since
last July of Mr. Gray, Reuters correspondent in
Feking.
(b) The refusal of exit vigas (and also of entry vises)
for our Mission in Peking, except in a few very
special cases.
SECRET
/(c)