23101
HKGOVT G
24146
RTRLON G
TX221 261131 DXD101
YY TWX
YCX019. 26-1108 YHE507
1559 PROHONGAID LONDON THREE:
SIS 536/79 (ADD)
YOU WILL DOUBTLESS BE POINTING OUT THAT THE COMMANDER OF THE BRITISH FORCES IN HONGKONG HAS COME TO LONDON TO ASK FOR MORE TROOPS TO HELP SEAL THE BORDER, AND THAT THE INFLUX IS ALREADY CREATING PRESSURES IN SUCH AREAS AS HOUSING THAT THE SOCIAL STABILITY OF HONGKONG COULD BE ENDANGERED.
THIS BRINGS US ON TO THE SUBJECT WHICH SHOULD BE ON THE TOP OF YOUR LIST OF SUBJECTS FOR DISCUSSION WITH HUA GUOFENG: THE FUTURE STATUS OF HONGKONG. IT IS NOT OFTEN. THAT A BRITISH PRIME MINISTER HAS THE PLEASURE OF WELCOMING THE SENIOR CHINESE STATESMAN IN LONDON AND IT IS SHOCKING TO LEARN THAT THIS VITAL ISSUE, AFFECTS THE LIVES OF WELL OVR 5 MILLION PEOPLE LIVING IN ONE OF WHICH BRITAIN'S FEW REMAINING DEPENDENT TERRITORIES, IS NOT LIKELY TO BE RAISED DIRECTLY.
THE MANDARINS OF THE FCO, THE GOVERNOR OF HONGKONG AND ITS POLITICAL ADVISER (WHO IS SECONDED FROM THE FCO) APPEAR UNITED IN AN ATTEMPT TO PERSUADE THEMSELVES, THEIR COLLEAGUES AND THE PUBLIC OF HONGKONG THAT THE FUTURE STATUS OF THE COMMUNITY IS NOT YET OF VITAL CONCERN. THEY ARE APPARENTLY CONTENT PASSIVELY TO AWAIT AN INITIATIVE FROM PEKING, WHOSE OWN MANDARINS WILL DECIDE WHEN THE TIME IS +RIPE+ TO DECIDE THE MATTER.
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REPTN OF PAGE TWO AWAITED
ZCZC LTX227 261145 DXD116
YY TWX
V1605: PROHONGA ID LONDON FOUR:
GIS 536/79 (ADD)
YBX134 26-1117 YHE509
AS YOU KNOW, PEKING'S POLICIES TOWARDS HONGKONG HAVE REMAINED REMARKABLY CONSISTENT OVER MANY YEARS, DESPITE THE ZIGS AND ZAGS WHICH HAVE CHARACTERISED CHANGES IN THE LEADERSHIP AND IN CHINA'S POLICIES. EVEN AT THE HEIGHT OF THE CULTURAL REVOLUTION, WHEN ULTRA-RADICAL POLITICS WERE IN COMMAND, CHINA SHRANK FROM ANY STEPS WHICH MIGHT HARM THE GROWING PROSPERITY OF A COMMUNITY WHICH WAS THEN (AND REMAINS) THE LARGEST SINGLE SOURCE OF CHINA'S FORE IGN-EXCHANGE EARNINGS. IN THE EARLY 1970S, SIR ALEC DOUGLAS-HOME WAS TOLD THAT HONGKONG'S FUTURE WOULD BE DECIDED BETWEEN PEKING CAPITAL AND LONDON WHEN THE TIME WAS +RIPE,+WITH THE COMFORTING RIDER THAT CHINA ACCORDED THE PROBLEM OF TAIWAN A HIGHER PRIORITY.
IN RECENT MONTHS THE NEW, MODERNISATION-BENT CHINESE LEADERS HAVE MADE A SERIES OF STATEMENTS DESIGNED TO REASSURE INVESTORS, LAST DECEMBER, CHINA'S FOREIGN TRADE MINISTER, LI QIANG, VISITED HONG KONG AND DESIGNATED IT AN IMPORTANT TRANS-SHIPMENT POINT FOR TRADE AND A SOURCE OF COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL EXPERTISE FOR CHINA, VICE- PREMIER DENG XIAO-PING HIMSELF HAS FORMALLY REQUESTED THE GOVERNOR TO +ASK INVESTORS IN HONGKONG TO PUT THEIR HEARTS AT EASE.+ LAST MONTH, THE CHAIRMAN OF CHINA'S NATIONAL PEOPLE'S CONGRESS TOLD DELEGATES TO THE 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FOUNDING OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA THAT HONGKONG SHOULD ACT AS A BRIDGE BETWEEN CHINA AND TAIWAN, WHILE A FEW DAYS LATER YOUR GUEST, CHAIRMAN HUA, DESCRIBED CHINA'S ATTITUDE TO HONGKONG AS VERY CLEAR, + STATING THAT QUESTIONS RELATING TO HONGKONG SHOULD BE SETTLED THROUGH CONSULTATIONS, ADDING THAT, WHATEVER THE OUTCOME OF THE SETTLEMENT, CHINA WOULD +TAKE NOTICE OF THE INTERESTS OF INVESTORS THERE.+ MORE==
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