THIS IS A COPY THE ORIGINAL HAS BEEN
YEARS UNDER FOI EXEMPTION No. 40,
CLOSED FOR
انا
38,27
9PS330 SECRET
RESTRICTED
FM HONG KONG 251025Z MAR 83
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELEGRAM NUMBER 413 OF 25 MARCH 1983
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING (PERSONAL FOR AMBASSADOR) --.
215 MIPT: FUTURE OF HONG KONG: CPPCC
1. AT THE LUNCH ON 23 MARCH QI FENG TOLD CHENGZHI APPRECIATED THE WORK
•
Никоно!!
28 - MA= 283
M& THAT LIAO'
HAD DONE AND WAS DOING FOR HONG KONG AND WISHED TO APPOINT HIM TO THE CPPCC SO THAT THE CHINESE LEADERS COULD CONSULT HIM ON NATIONAL MATTERS.
CM 15/+
?
THE INVITATION SHOULD ACCORDINGLY BE REGARDED AS A STANDING ONE WHICH COULD BE ACCEPTED THIS YEAR, NEXT YEAR OR EVEN THE YEAR AFTER THAT. AFTER EXPRESSING APPRECIATION FOR THE INVITATION
SAID THAT HE WOULD REPORT IT TO ME AND, THROUGH ME, TO
HMG.
2.
SAID TO QI FENG THAT BOTH WERE AWARE THAT THE DIPLOMATIC TALKS IN PEKING WERE MAKING NO PROGRESS AND WARNED HIM THAT IF THIS UNSATISFACTORY SITUATION WERE ALLOWED TO CONTINUE FOR SOME TIME IT COULD DAMAGE CONFIDENCE IN HONG KONG. DURING THE DISCUSSION THE POSSIBILITY OF INFORMAL CONTACTS AROSE.
COMMENTED, IN A PURELY PERSONAL CAPACITY, THAT THE TWO GOVERNMENTS MIGHT THINK IT ADVANTAGEOUS IF THERE WERE SOME DIRECT BUT UNOFFICIAL CHANNELS OF COMMUNICATION SO THAT PROPOSALS AND POSSIBILITIES COULD BE EXPLORED. HE HINTED THAT HE WOULD BE WILLING TO HELP IN THIS RESPECT. QI FENG CONCURRED AND SAID THAT HE WOULD REPORT THIS IDEA TO HIS SUPERIORS.
WHETHER
INDICATED THAT HE DID NOT
3. DURING THE DISCUSSION QI FENG ALSO ASKED HE WOULD LIKE TO VISIT PEKING. THINK THE TIME RIPE FOR THAT.
4. QI FENG ALSO TRIED TO CONVINCE
THAT THE CHINESE
TOLD
PLAN FOR HONG KONG WOULD WORK. IN RESPONSE
QI FENG THAT GIVEN THE INCOMPATIBILITY BETWEEN THE HONG KONG AND
CHINESE POLITICAL SYSTEMS AN ASSURANCE IN THE FORM OF A CONSTIT-
UTION (WHICH COULD BE CHANGED) WOULD NOT BE ENOUGH. QI FENG ALSO
TOUCHED ON THE RECENT ACTIVITIES OF KMT-SPONSORED ASSOCIATIONS IN
HONG KONG WHICH GAVE
THE OPPORTUNITY TO POINT OUT
THE IMPORTANCE OF A DEMOCRATIC FORM OF GOVERNMENT AND FREE SPEECH
TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG.
YOUDE
FUTURE OF HONG KONG
LIMITED
COPIES TO
ED/HKGD
HD/FED
ED/PLANNING STAFF
HD/PUSD
PS
PS/MR HURD
PS/LORD BELSTEAD
PS/FUS
SIR J BULLARD
MR GIFFARD
MR DONALD
SIR I SINCLAIR
MR ROBERTS
MR COLES
MR MARTIN
RESTRICTED
LEGAL ADVISER
NEWS D
NO 10 DOWNING STREET
ASSESSMENTS STAFF CABINET OFFICE
Page 165I