SECRET
DSR 11C
so as to co-operate with that Government on the problems arising between
them".
tion in Hong Kong could be beneficial and not the reverse.
The Chargé d'Affaires replied that he thought Chinese representa-
There the
matter apparently rested for a number of years.
10. Further approaches, 1971-1973 The question was not opened again
until early in 1971 when formal talks on the exchange of Ambassadors
commenced in Peking and Chinese Ministers took the opportunity of the
negotiations on normalisation to make their case for the appointment of
an official representative in Hong Kong. From 1971 until June 1973 the
Chinese pursued this question with greater vigour than any time before or
since. Zhou Enlai repeated the request during a conversation with the
British Chargé d'Affaires (Mr Denson) in February 1971. The question was
then pursued by Zhang Wenjin (Chang Wen-chin), head of the Western
European Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with Sir John Addis
(March 1972); 'by Qiao Guanhua (Ch'iao Kuan-hua), a Vice-Minister of
.
¦
Foreign Affairs, with Mr Royle, Parliamentary Under-Secretary (May 1972);
and by Ji Pengfei (Chi P'eng-fei), Foreign Minister, and Premier Zhou
Enlai with the Secretary of State, Sir Alec Douglas-Home (October-November
1972). In each instance, the Chinese received the reply that the British
Government could not at present accede to the request, although throughout
this period it was given long and careful consideration by officials and
the Secretary of State informed Ji Pengfei that he would deliver a reply
in due course.
.)
11. The Secretary of State gave his reply when Ji Pengfei visited London
in 1973. During talks on 7 June, Ji began by re-stating the Chinese case
for official representation in Hong Kong. He proposed that a Chinese
/representative