Ed (4206)
Mr. Hall1
TOP SEGRET
Reference..
382
I attach a copy of a Foreign Office
submission on Sino-British relations.
Paragraphs 2-9 are of direct concern to us in that they relate to the informal approach for discussions about Hong Kong (purporting to come from Chou En-lai) which was made recently to the Governor of Hong Kong and was reported in his
Top Secret telegram No.331.
2. I submit the recommendation in paragraph 3 for the Minister of State's concurrence.
already
La
Mr. Rodgers has approved it without submitting
to the Foreign Secretary.
3. You will recall that in our discussions
with the Foreign Office we concluded that there
were no undue risks involved in testing the
bona fides of this apparent Chinese initiative on the lines proposed by the Governor in paragraph 5 of his telegram No.330.
4. A further submission will shortly be made
on follow-up action to be taken now that the
Chinese have refused to accept the return of the film stars (paragraph 6(b) of the submission and H.K. Telegram No.344). The Foreign Office is also up-dating an earlier submission (not considered by Mr Brown) on general policy in
Sino-British relations; this will cover the question of relaxing restrictions on the Chinese Mission and ancillary organisations (NCNA and Bank of China) in London and the proposal that Sir Donald Hopson, might be recalled
for consultations.
W.5. Carter
19 March, 1968.
(W. S. Carter)