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should not be read into the tone of the discussion since
Kr. T'ang gave nothing away on matters of substance.
Even his admission that China was interested in improving
Sino-British relations was not offered voluntarily but
#queezed out of him by Mr. Cradook. Nevertheless it is
encouraging to hear Mr. T'ang admitting, at least by
implication, that progress towards normal relations depends
upon acts of mutual de-escalation, e.g. the release of
Mr. Cradook perhaps is stretching the argument somewhat
when he concludes that further progress, not only in
Mr. Grey's case but in other cases also, hinges on the
release of the eleven newsworkers in Hong Kong. The release
and the confàrmation by the Chinese Mission
of
his wife and
in London of the detention of
son, suggest that the Chinese are prepared to move, however
slightly, on other cases in the absence of any concessions
from us on the eleven newsworkers. It is also worth noting
that the Chinese Mission in their discussion with
insisted that the detention of
was for
investigations into violations of Chinese law and was not
linked with the events in Hong Kong. This would suggest
that the Chinese intend to treat the other cases on their
individual merits.
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2
Argument