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Registry No.
SECURITY CLASSIFICATION
Settet.
Guafidertizi.
Restricted.
Unadverźna d.
PRIVACY MARKING
In Confidence
DRAFT
BRIEF
To:-
RESTRICTED
HER oupl,
16 JU Type 1+
NO 7: HONG KONG
(Population: 4,600,000 [1978 esti-
mate])
From
Telephone No. Ext.
Department
147
DSR 11
PART I - GENERAL
SELF-DETERMINATION (ARTICLE I)
1.
The circumstances of Hong Kong are special as the
greater part of the territory is situated on land leased
from China. There is, therefore, no question of Hong Kong
ever becoming an independent state. Accordingly Article I
of the Covenant has not been extended to cover Hong Kong.
2. China does not recognise any of the treaties by which
Britain acquired Hong Kong since, in official parlance, they
were imposed on China at a time of weakness. Yet the
present Government of China is quite content to see Hong
Kong continue under British administration. They have very
sound economic reasons for this: over 30 percent of China's
foreign exchange is earned through Hong Kong, which in
general terms serves as a useful eye to the rest of the
world. During the recent visit to China by the Governor of
Hong Kong, Vice Premier Deng Xiaoping made a point of asking
the Governor to reassure Hong Kong businessmen about their
investments.
This is the clearest indication we have had
that China is prepared to see the present situation extend
beyond 1998 when the New Territories' lease expires. Their
attitude is that the problem of Hong Kong is a legacy of
history that will be settled when the time is right. In the
meantime they are content for us to continue administering
the territory as long as there is no question of any change
in its status:
Dd 0532000 800M 5/78 HMSO Bracknell
RRAYER CPP
dal Bracknell