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CONFIDENTIAL
ANNEX C
BACKGROUND ON CHINESE REQUESTS FOR OFFICIAL REPRESENTATION IN HONG KONG
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1. The Chinese Government have raised the question of official
representation in Hong Kong on numerous occasions, the first in
1955, but most vigorously during the early and mid-1970s.
no point have they defined the precise status and function of
their proposed representative, but they have offered assurances
that no executive functions would be sought. Deng Xiaoping told
Mr Edward Heath in 1974 that China would never seek to exploit
the position of an official representative to attain other ends.
2.
The titles favoured by the Chinese for such a post have
been Commissioner or Representative of the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs or of Guangdong Province. They have rejected the possible
title of Consul-General, which would imply that Hong Kong is
foreign territory.
Precedents
3.
A request for representation was made as early at 1869, but
was rejected by the Hong Kong authorities. It was taken up by
the KMT Government in 1940 and agreement was reached in principle.
Action then was prevented by the war with Japan, but the subject
was revived in 1945, when it was suggested to the Chinese that
they might wish to appoint a Consul-General. Instead the KMT
Government appointed a Mr T W Kwok as 'Special Commissioner for
Guangdong and Guangzi, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA)'.
Early Approaches: 1955-1958
4. In October 1955, Zhou Enlai raised the question of
representation over lunch with Sir Alexander Grantham, the
/Governor
CONFIDENTIAL