SECRET
137
Mr Williamson
FUTURE OF HONG KONG
1.
HKK040
18 NOV 1980
No $19.4. лю
I have discussed the draft butline of the above paper with Mr Clift and will adjust it to take account of various comments which he has made. I shall then discuss it with Mr Donald.
2. In the meantime, I should be grateful if your Section could put in hand some of the basic spade-work which will be necessary as background to the paper itself. The tasks which I suggest you start on now are as follows:
(1) Annex explaining the related problem of land leases in the
New Territories;
(2) Historical precedents for quitting other colonial territories,
e.g. Aden;
(3) An historical description of our surrendering other leased
territory in China;
(4) A note on the importance of Hong Kong to the UK in terms of:
(a) bilateral trade;
(b) trade with China;
(c) investment;
(d) value of invisible earnings to the UK;
(e) the extent of present and likely future ECGD commitment;
(5) The value of Kai Tak in air services agreement with third
countries;
(C) The cost of the defence commitment;
(7) Statement of the assurances so far given by the Chinese on
Hong Kong;
(3) Present size of the civil and police services, any projections
for the future, and proportion of UK to Chinese officers; (9) Outline evacuation plan for UK citizens and loyal, vulnerable
Chinese;
(10) The UK's public position on Hong Kong, i.e. Ministerial
statements, etc.
(11) The legal position in:
(a) international law; and (b) British law;
(12) Statement of the likely citizenship situation in Hong Kong,
post-the new Nationality Act;
(13) Extent of Hong Kong's economic relationship with Guangdong
Province;
(14) Relationship of the RMB and the Hong Kong Dollar; (15) The development at Tin Shui Wai and any other significant/
Chinese investment on major projects.
SECRET
THE ORIGINAL HAS BEEN RETAINED IN THE DEPARTMENT UNDER SECTION 3(4) OF THE PUBLIC RECORDS ACT 1959
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