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Hong Kong, specific things were said on the record by Ministers
and officials about improving the terms for Hong Kong. The
colony now looked to HMG to honour these assurances. One of them
was that after entry HMG would seek to mitigate discrimination
against Hong Kong. There would be serious political repercussions
if the UK were to discriminate against her own colony. The risk
of not succeeding was not a reason for not trying.
Sir Christopher Soames had said in Hong Kong that the Commission,
in considering the UK's alignment to the Commission's scheme, would
have to search for a compromise solution on the Hong Kong issue.
"e would let the department have a copy of the Hong Kong report of
Sir Christopher Soames' visit.
CHINESE REPRESENTATION IN HONG KONG
17. Mr Clark of Far Eastern Department joined the meeting for this
subject.
Mr Royle said that the FCO would be advising the Prime Minister to
adhere to the line which the Secretary of State and he had taken.
He asked Sir Murray MacLehose how his contacts with the New China
News Agency were going, Sir Murray MacLehose replied that they
were going well. There had been a set-back because the head of
NCNA, Mr Leung, had had to go into hospital in Peking. But he had
got himself invited when the Chinese Ping Pong Team visited Hong
Kong, had had a talk with Mr Li (his deputy and possible successor),
and had said he was always ready to see him. He was moving towards
the position where he and the head of the NCNA would go to each
/other's
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