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SECRET
DSR 11C
air services agreement and communications generally. He reiterated the
unacceptability of a Chinese Consulate-General in Hong Kong.
13. In 1974 during a private visit to China by former Prime Minister
Mr Edward Heath, Vice-Premier Deng Xiaoping (Teng Hsiao-p'ing) again raised
the subject during talks on 27 May. Deng assured Mr Heath that the
Chinese Government's motives in this issue were not at all underhand and
that they would never seek to exploit the position of an official repre-
sentative to attain other ends. The question of Chinese representation in
Hong Kong could be further discussed later, said Deng.
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14. The Chinese Ambassador, Song Zhiguang (Sung Chih-kuang) referred to
Deng's assurances to Mr Heath in a conversation with Mr Youde on 28 June
1974. Song insisted, that China had no intention of "creating two
governments" in Hong Kong, and said that a Chinese official representative
in Hong Kong would not be there to cause trouble for the administration.
Rather, a representative, would contribute to the improvement of relations
with Hong Kong, and a number of administrative questions such as those of
direct rail communication between Hong Kong and Guangzhou, a rivér ferry
service and air services could be solved to the advantage of Hong Kong.
15. At the end of a long session of talks in Peking on 5 May 1976 between
the Secretary of State, Mr Crosland, and the Chinese Foreign Minister, Qiao
Guanhua, the latter made a low-key reference to the continuing Chinese wish
to have an official representative in Hong Kong. Qiao recalled the British
Government's view that hitherto the time was not ripe, but wished to raise
it again. Mr Crosland replied that HMG's view had not changed from that
set out in the Aide Mémoire handed to Ji Pengfei in June 1973.
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