GRE 840
ADIATE
HER/CAT A
FM HONG KONG 1509552
CONFIDENTIAL
(18)
CONFIDENTIAL
PALKK 020/1
кк
07
Nott
DESKBY 1510337
TO IMMEDIATE F.C.0 TELNO.1182 OF 15 SEPTEMBER 78, See (19)
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING.
Cas
1126
139
RELATIONS BETWEEN HONG KONG AND CHINA.
1. YOUR DEPARTMENT HAS HAD REPORTS RECENTLY OF A NUMBER OF
SIGNIFICANT DEVOPMENTS IN THE PRACTICAL AND SYDOLIC /FOLITICAL
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HONG KONG AND CHINA, (SUMMARY IN M. J.F.T). YESTERDAY NONA ASKED THE ACTING POLITICAL ADVISER WHETHER I WOULD ACCEPT AN INVITATION TO THE CHINESE NATIONAL DAY RECEPTION ON 30. SEPTEMBER HOSTED BY WANG KUANG THE DIRECTOR. THEY VOLUNTEERD TO OBSERVE THE STANDARD PROTOCOL FOR NATIONAL DAY RECEPTIONS HERS LE AGAINST THE BACKGROUND OF THE UNION JACK AND THE CHINESE FLAT, THE DIRECTOR OF NCNA KOULD PROPOSE A ONE SENTENCE TOAST TO THE QUEEN AND I WOULD TOAST (I PRESUME) THE CHAIRMAN OF THE NATIONAL
PEOPLE'S CONGRESS.
2. I DO NOT BELIEVE THE CHINESE WOULD HAVE MADE THIS APPROACH
THROUGH THIS OFFICIAL POLITICAL CHANNEL EXCEPT ON INSTRUCTIONS, AND UNLESS THEY EXPECTED ACCEPTANCE. THEIR OFFER TO TOAST THE QUEEN, IN TERRITORY OVER WHICH CHINA CLAIMS SOVEREIGNTY, IS A .
FOR SIGNIFICANT CONCESSION TO THE REALITY OF THE STATUS QUO.
ME TO ACCEPT WOULD ALSO BE A PUBLIC (AND TO THEM VALUABLE) ACCEPTANCE OF THE PRACTICAL, THOUGH UNRECOGNISED, POSITION OF
THE DIRECTOR OF NCNA, AND A CONSIDERABLE BOOST TO THEIR UNITED FRONT ACTIVITIES.
3. I STILL ATTACH IMPORTANCE TO HOLDING THE LINE ON OFFICIAL
REPRESENTATION BECAUSE:
.
A) IT IS A CARD TO PLAY ONLY IN EXCHANGE FOR SOMETHING
OF SUBSTANCE:
(B) WITHOUT SOMETHING SUBSTANTIAL IN EXCHANGE IT WOULD SHAKE
CONFIDENCE:
C)
IT COULD PRODUCE POTENTIALLY SERIOUS PRACTICAL DIFFICULTIES
CONFIDENTIAL
/4.
WE