TS 7/1162/46 v
CONFIDENTIAL
RC Samuel Esq
Far Eastern Department
F CO
CHINESE ATTITUDE TOWARDS HONG KONG
13)
18 February, 1978
HKK.020/1.
RIVER
2 ? FEB 1978
OFFK OR
NEE
No
Bedr
PA
ACT
197
Sir Anthony Royle has just been on a private visit
to Hong Kong. During his time here he went over to Macau and had lunch with Messrs HO Yin and Rocky Chau (Roque Choi or, more correctly, TS UI Lo-ch'i), who both, as you will know, tend to act as front men for the Chinese.
2.
Sir Anthony says that, during the lunch, he was told by his hosts that they thought present arrangements over Hong Kong and Macau were entirely satisfactory to the new leadership in China and that they could go on indefinitely (for 50 or 500 years"), providing that Hong Kong continued its policy of firmly blocking Soviet infiltration of any sort. When Sir Anthony asked about loss of confidence as the end of the lease of the New Territories draws nearer, HO Yin apparently conceded that, at some time or other, something would have to be arranged with Peking which might or might not involve adjustments. He personally foresaw no difficulty whatsoever in this. HO Yin also said that he was very pleased about the appointment of SUNG Chih-kuang to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He thought the transfer of the former Ambassador in London to this post was a matter of very great importance to Hong Kong and Macau.
3.
HO Yin does not represent the pure milk of Chinese policy. He also has, I think, a tendency to exaggerate his role as an intermediary for the Chinese. Nevertheless, he, and even more so at present Rocky Chau, are close to the communist hierarchy and watch very carefully which way the wind blows. I do not think we should take the lunchtime comments literally, but they are yet another good and encouraging indicator of the direction of the wind.
(D C Wilson)
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CONFIDENTIAL