}
DSR 11C
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-10-
these lines. The second half of this paper, which examines
the longer-term prospects, considers various options. But in
the 1980s the Chinese are unlikely to be prepared to commit
themselves in this way. We should therefore examine any
Chinese proposal of this sort very carefully but only be
prepared to make concessions if Peking were ready to give
assurances going wellbeyond a pragmatic understanding on
:
land leases and general assurances about Hong Kong's future
stability.
Chinese Representative
12.
Here the problem is primarily political. There would be
no legal problem for HMG in agreeing to the presence of a
'Chinese Representative'in Hong Kong'. As Annex A shows,
there was for a short time such an official after the Second
World War. What would matter for us would be the psychological
and political impact on confidence in Hong Kong.
This would
in turn depend partly on the fuction of the representative.
13. If the representative simply took up the present liaison
duties of the senior New China News Agency official, which
amount in practice to a diplomatic role, it would be
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/relatively
Dd 0532000 400 M 5178 HMSO Bracknell