CONFIDENTIAL
SECRETARY OF STATE'S VISIT TO HONG KONG: 29
MEETING WITH EXECUTIVE COUNCIL:
30 JUNE
ESSENTIAL FACTS
NEW TERRITORIES LEASES AND THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG
(See Brief No 6). This is a very sensitive issue and knowledge
of the work done on it is confined in Hong Kong to the Governor
and a few senior officials. The Executive Council will need to
come.
be consulted in due course but the time for that has not yet
It would therefore be best if the Secretary of State went
no further than the line suggested in the "Points to Make" in
responding to any questions on this subject.
CHINESE OFFICIAL REPRESENTATION IN HONG KONG
There is a long standing Chinese request for official represen-
tation in Hong Kong. This has been successfully resisted up
until now, partly for fear of creating an alternative focus of
loyalty in the territory, but also because such a move could
be interpreted by local opinion as the beginning of a Chinese
takeover. Over the past year or so there were indications that
the Chinese might have lost interest. However, the subject
was raised again by the Chinese Foreign Minister during the
Governor's visit to Peking in March. The Governor said that
though the time might eventually come when an official repre-
sentative would be appropriate, there was no need for one at
present since the Hong Kong and Chinese authorities had between
them devised satisfactory arrangements for handling all the
practical matters that an offical representative would handle.
/This
CONFIDENTIAL
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