UNCLASSIFIED
FROM HONG KONG CIVIC ASSOCIATION
OCT 30/79
FOR TENTION OF
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MR. PETER BLAKER
MINISTER OF STATE
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FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
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KINDLY CONVEY THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE TO THE RT. HON. MRS. MARGARE" THATCHER, PRIME MINISTER:
ON THE OCCASION OF THE VISIT TO THE UNITED KINGDOM OF MR. HUA GUOFENG, CHAIRMAN AND PREMIER OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA, THE HONGKONG CIVIC ASSOCIATION REITERATES ITS ADMIRATION AND SUPPORT FOR YOUR IMAGINATIVE EFFORTS IN SEEKING REDUCTION OF THE FLOW OF REFUGEES INTO HONGKONG FROM VIETNAM.
CURRENTLY, A MOST WORRYING ASPECT IS THE LARGE NUMBER OF PERSONS ENTERING HONGKONG FROM CHINA, BOTH LEGALLY AND ILLEGALLY. WE SINCERELY HOPE THAT YOU WILL BE SUCCESSFUL IN DISCUSSING WITH PREMIER HUA GUOFENG EFFECTIVE WAYS TO REDUCE THE EXCESSIVE IMMIGRANT FLOW TO A MORE MANAGEABLE LEVEL ACCEPTABLE TO THE HONGKONG AUTHORITIES.
OF THE GREATEST IMPORTANCE TO THE CONTINUED ECONOMIC VIABILITY OF HONGKONG IS ITS FUTURE STATUS AFTER 1997. MANY FAR-SIGHTED PEOPLE IN HONGKONG WISH TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE INDUSTRIAL MODERNIZATION OF CHINA, PARTICULARLY IN THE SOUTH CHINA PROVINCES. THEY HOPE THAT THE FUTURE
STATUS OF HONGKONG WILL BE MORE FULLY CLARIFIED, ESPECIALLY SINCE
JOINT VENTURES AND LONG-TERM INVESTMENTS IN SHENZHEN SPECIAL
MUNICIPALITY AND ADJACENT AREAS IN GUANGDONG ARE BEING PLANNED THROUGH HONGKONG AS A CENTRE OF INVESTMENT CAPITAL AND TECHNOLOGY.
FOR HONGKONG TO REMAIN STABLE AND TECHNOLOGICALLY ADVANCED SO AS TO MAKE A SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION TO THE INDUSTRIAL MODERNIZATION OF CHINA, IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT DISCUSSIONS SHOULD NOW BE INITIATED TO ESTABLISH ON A MORE DEFINITIVE BASIS THE FUTURE STATUS OF HONGKONG AFTER 1997. UNLESS SUCH CLARIFICATION HAPPENS VERY SOON, THE MOMENTUM FOR HONGKONG'S TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT COULD BE SERIOUSLY HELD BACK TO THE DETRIMENT OF THE LONG-TERM ECONOMIC GROWTH OF HONGKONG AND ADJACENT AREAS.
THE HONGKONG