5.
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and will long be remembered here. But for the
population and foreign observers alike the dominant
consideration was that the visit took place at all,
because it demonstrated, as nothing else could,
Chinese acceptance of the status quo.
8.
The status quo contains many oddities,
but from the mixed experiences of the last four years
I conclude it is something in which changes, if intro-
duced at all, should be introduced gradually and as
unobtrusively as possible. It is not field for
diplomatic pyrotechnics.
9.
Though for the last year or two the relationship
between Hong Kong and China has caused no difficulties
the relationship between Hong Kong and the United
Kingdom has.
comparative terms, they have been an irritant and you,
Sir, and Lord Goronwy Roberts have discussed remedial
action with me. Hong Kong exposes many different
surfaces, which are of interest to many different
groups, and the motivation behind criticisms levelled
covers a wide spectrum. But the main sources of
friction seem to me to have been: a) defence costs;
b) corruption; c) industrial competition and d)
lack of information about or comprehension of the Hong
Kong scene. On all these some progress was made during
Though these may have been small in
the year.
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