DSR 11evised)
DRAFT:
FROM:
....
SECRET
minate/letter/teleletter/despatch/note
TYPE: Draft/Final 1+
Reference
SECRETARY OF STATE
DEPARTMENT:
SECURITY CLASSIFICATION
TO:
Top Secret
Secret
Confidential
Restricted
Unclassified
PRIVACY MARKING
CAVEAT.
..In Confidence
Enclosures-flag(s)............
PRIME MINISTER
TEL. NO:
SUBJECT: FUTURE OF HONG KONG
Your Reference
Copies to:
Iter
04011
(272)
1.
When you agreed to the ideas in my minute of 15
December 1981 about your visit to China, Hong Kong and
Japan and about Hong Kong's future, you asked for further
thoughts after Humphrey Atkins' visit to Peking.
2. One of the purposes of this visit was to establish
whether there had been any shifts in Chinese thinking since
we last tackled them. From the conversations Humphrey
Atkins had with Premier Zhao and Vice Premier Ji, it is
clear that while the Chinese have not moved on essentials,
they recognise the existence of the problem as well as the
need for it to be solved before 1997. They have said they
want to see Hong Kong remain a free port and a commercial
and financial centre. They have also said that in due
course they would discuss with Hong Kong circles and with
us.
3. In many ways the line taken by the Chinese is
encouraging.
They are clearly thinking about the problem
more urgently than before. They have hoisted aboard the
need to preserve confidence and the importance of Hong
/Kong's
SECRET