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Bucidchames for bonne fele
F
GUID, LINES FOR GOVERNOR. DESIGNATĄ OF
Long Term -lanning
1. My point of departure is HMG's policy towards the
future of the Colony as set out in Mr Wilford's paper of
28/6/71 agreed by Mr Royle and the secretary of State, but
not yet taken to DO1 C. Briefly its conclusion is that while
there would be no point in attempting to negotiate the
future of Hong Kong with the present Chinese Government,
we should do so if a more favourable Government emerged, and
that in any case we would have to do so long before the
expiry of the Lease and in advance of the collapse of
confidence which would precede it by many years.
The implications are: -
(a) Since we must avoid a negotiation with the
present Government of China, we must be careful
not to raise any false expectation by discussing
the status of the Colony with the Chinese either
formally or informally. We must also continue to
avoid actions in Hong Kong that might cause the
CTG to reconsider their current policy, such as:
obstructing their legitimate profits from the
Colony, permitting unnecessary friction or causes
of legitimate concern, or giving the impression of
any move towards representative or independent
government.
(b) We must work out policies in Hong Kong consciously
designed to prolong confidence and so gain all possible time for conditions to emerge in China
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