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3.
6. For all these reasons, Ministers in both the present and the
previous Governments have agreed that it is essential to ensure that
there is no Chinese objection before going ahead. The Governor of
Hong Kong therefore outlined the proposed solution in general terms
to Deng Xiaoping and other Chinese leaders when he visited Feking in
March. Deng did not specifically endorse the idea but did not react
adversely. This was followed up in July when the British Ambassador
in Peking explained our proposals in more detail to the Chinese
Assistant Foreign Minister, and left with him a copy of his speaking
note. Similar action was taken by the Political Adviser in Hong Kong,
who spoke to the Director of the Hong Kong Office of the NCNA (the
unofficial representative of the Chinese Government in Hong Kong). We
also informed the Chinese Embassy in London of the action that had
been taken.
THE NEXT STEPS
7. The note left with the Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister
explained that the Governor hoped to announce the new proposals in
his speech at the opening of the new Hong Kong Legislative Council
session in early October. The Chinese indicated that they hoped to
let us have their comments sometime in August, but so far we have
heard nothing more from them. Even if the Chinese do let us know
soon that they have no objection. to our proceeding as proposed, it
may now be difficult to complete all the procedures that will be
necessary before the Legco opening. However, there is no reason why
the new measures must be announced at that time it was simply the
earliest convenient date for an announcement.
Certainly, it would
not be advisable for us to badger the Chinese for a reply, simply in
order to meet that deadline, lest they begin to suspect that the pro-
posals have some deeper significance that make them particularly
important to us.
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18.