CONFIDENTIAL
1
SIR DUNCAN WATSON KCMG
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
Dear Duncan,
HXR 1/6
Sunt Watson of
се
116 in har
M. O'Keefe on illu
with
BRITISH EMBASSY
PEKING
7 November 1975
Ex
Viafir
I heavilyapee
Mrs. Janovih
Xx
Premch
77714
Mr Bentley
(45)
HONG KONG:
1.
I was grateful to Murray MacLehose for sending me copy of his letter of 23 October about Hong Kong, with an extract from your letter of 8 August to him.
2. The aspect of particular concern to me in Peking is the suggestion that the Secretary of State might discuss with the Chinese during his visit next year the desirability of more active Communist trade union interest in the processes of
government in the Colony. I share the Governor's view on
this.
It is the Chinese Government's view that responsibility
for the administration of the Colony is ours. To invite them
to modify that view to the extent of intervening in this themselves, even indirectly, would, as the Governor says open up some very large questions about the future administration of the Colony. Our existing policy of dealing with all such issues locally in Hong Kong to the maximum extent possible has been very successful in ensuring that they do not develop into
issues involving Sino-British relations. In consequence, I
share the view that the problem is far better dealt with locally the Governor suggests.
cc:
Sir M MacLehose KCMG KOVO MBE
Hong Kong.
ever
Teddy Yonde
CONFIDENTIAL