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Q. DOES THIS COMMITMENT INCLUDE DEFENDING HONG KONG AGAINST EXTERNAL AGGRESSION?
A. HMG DOES OF COURSE HAVE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE DEFENCE OF HONG KONG. CHINESE LEADERS HAVE STRESSED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS THEIR DESIRE FOR HONG KONG'S CONTINUING PROSPERITY AND ITS IMPORTANCE AS A COMMERCAIL CENTRE AND FREE PORT. RELATIONS HAVE NEVER BEEN BETTER.
CHINESE/UK
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE EXPIRY OF THE NEW TERRITORIES LEASE:
A.
OBVIOUSLY THE EXPIRY OF THE NEW TERRITORIES LEASE IN 1997 WILL POSE PROBLEMS. AS MR ATKINS SAID AFTER HIS VISIT TO CHINA IN JANUARY, THE CHINESE ARE THINKING ABOUT THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG WITH A VIEW TO DISCUSSING IT WITH HMG IN DUE COURSE. THE CHINESE HAVE MADE IT CLEAR THAT THEY REGARD AS IMPORTANT ELEMENTS IN THIS THE CONTINUED PROSPERITY OF HONG KONG AND ITS POSITION AS A FREE PORT AND FINANCIAL AND COMMERCIAL CENTRE.
..
WILL THE WISHES OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG (LIKE THOSE OF THE FALKLAND ISLANDS) BE REGARDED AS PARAMOUNT?
A.
THE WISHES AND VIEWS OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG WOULD BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT.
WOULD HMG CONSIDER A 'LEASE-BACK' ON THE LINES PREVIOUSLY MOOTED IN THE CONTEXT OF THE FALKLAND ISLANDS?
બે.
THE MAJOR PART OF THE TERRITORY IS ALREADY THE SUBJECT OF A LEASE ARRANGEMENT AND THE TWO SITUATIONS ARE NOT ANALOGOUS.
A.
2. WOULD HMG BE PREPARED TO GRANT ADMISSION TO THE UK OF ALL BRITISH PASSPORT HOLDERS IN HONG KONG IN AN EMERGENCY, AS HAS BEEN PROMISED FOR THE FALKLAND ISLANDERS?
A.
ANY SITUATION WOULD HAVE TO BE CONSIDERED ON ITS MERITS.
PYM
COPIES TO:
LIMITED
SIR E YOUDE C/O HKGD K243
HKGD
FED
S AM D
LEGAL ADVISERS
NEWS DEPT
PLANNING STAFF
PS
PS/LORD BELSTEAD
PS/PUS
MR DONALD
MR GIFFARD
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CONFIDENTIAL