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ANNEX A
SIGNALS BY WHICH CHINESE ATTITUDES TO HONG KONG CAN BE
ASSESSED
1. These are both positive and negative, the first deriving from the most recent past and the latter drawn
from the lessons learned at the time of the Cultural
Revolution in 1966/67.
Positive
1.
Present evidence of Chinese tolerance of Hong Kong
includes:
(a)
very low key references to China's official position on the status of Hong Kong in
international bodies and in their relations
with us;
(b) cooperation over illegal immigrants;
(c) instructions to Communist trade unions to
avoid disruptive action
(particularly helpful in the current recession); (a) instructions to cadres to view Hong Kong
situation in terms of Chinese foreign policy both general and towards UK;
(e) provision of services and supplies for Hong
Kong e.g. focâstuffs at reasonable prices, new water supplies, raw materials;
(f) cooperation over minor incidents e.g. servicemen
straying across the border;
(g) active investment e.g. in shipyards;
(h) a refusal to take back Macao despite Portuguese
offer;
(i) efforts made to calm the situation in Macao
at present riven with internal disputes.
1
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/Negative