TOP SECRET
(1)
J.
RECOMMENDATIONS
The following are the recommendations of the study.
We should recognise that Hong Kong's future must eventually
lie in China and that our objective must be to attempt to
negotiate its return, at a favourable opportunity, on the
best terms obtainable for its people and for our material
interests there.
(2) Withdrawal should not be contemplated while present conditions
in China persist. We could not now negotiate terms that
would in any measure meet our responsibilities towards the
people or our material interests.
(3)
(4)
(5)
(6)
+
We should watch for an acceptable opportunity to negotiate or
reach some understanding with the Chinese on our withdrawal,
if and when a suitable regime emerges there. It is important
to do this when not under Chinese pressure and before the
economy of the Colony starts to run down in the 1980s.
Meanwhile we should show firmly that we intend to maintain
our position there, giving no indication that we contemplate
withdrawal. To this end we should keep under inter-
departmental review what means we may have from time to time of
countering any renewed Chinese pressure.
We should consider separately whether to seek American
support and understanding for the policies we desire to adopt.
The likely effects in the Colony of the approach of 1997 should
be discreetly studied locally and policy in Hong Kong reviewed
in the light of the results.
TOF SECRET
/(7) At regular