THE REFORM CLUB OF HONG KONG
.801 FU HING BUILDING,
10 JUBILEE STREET,
HONG KONG.
5-450001
11th March, 1982.
KONG
741
The kt. Hon. Margaret Thatcher,
The Frime Minister,
10 Downing Street, SWI, London, England.
Dear Madam,
attached
I beg to refer you to the message contained in your letver of 4th December 1981 written to the Rt. Hon. David Steel, M.1. concerning the press release of the Reform Club, a copy of your letter is enclosed herewith for your easy reference.
Our Club has appointed a reputable international survey company to perform an opinion poll on the future of Hong Kong after 1997, which I understand will be completed by the end of March 1982 and our Club intends to form a delegation to visit your good self with a view to presenting the report of the opinion poll for your consideration, as we are aware that you had ensured that all the views expressed by our Club in the press release would be examined very carefully as stated in your said letter. The delegation will most probably stay in London for four to five days commencing from 19th April 1982. 1 shall be indeed very grateful if your good self would kindly direct your private secretary to give a date of appointment to meet the delegation during its stay in London so that the report of the opinion poll could be presented to your good self personally and I can assure you such presentation would not take more than 15 minutes.
attached
Incidentally may I enclose herewith a newspaper
clipping dated the 15th December 1981 in which our Club informeá the press that our proposal had been sent to the top Chinese leaders including Vice-Chairman of the Chinese Communist Party Machal Mr. Deng Xiaoping; subsequently on 20th January 1982 a report was made by the Agence France Presse, that among other things, China hoped to resolve the problem of Hong Kong's future so as to ensure a continued British presence while not jeopardising its own sovereignty, according to a high-ranking Chinese diplomat who hinted at the possibility of transforming Hong Kong into a free port, a copy of the clipping is also enclosed herewith for your attention.
Yours faithfully
FC/fl
-Francis Chaine, Chairman,
Hong Kong Future Ad Hoc Committee. Reform Club of Hong Kong.