(217)
AND SO ONLY THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT CAN TRULY REPRESENT THEM.
THE SPECIAL POLICIES THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT WILL ADOPT TOWARDS
HONG KONG TO PRESERVE ITS WAY OF LIFE ARE EVIDENCE OF THE
CHINESE CONCERN AND SENSE OF RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE PEOPLE OF HONG
KONG.
6. THE ARTICLE CONCLUDES THAT A PRELIMINARY ANALYSIS OF THESE
THREE MATTERS SHOWS THAT CONTINUED BRITISH OCCUPATION AND COLONIAL
RULE WOULD VIOLATE INTERNATIONAL LAW. BUT CHINA'S DECISION TO
RECOVER HONG KONG IN 1997 IS ENTIRELY CONSISTENT WITH THE LAW. THIS IS RECOGNISED THROUGHOUT THE WORLD AND EVEN AMONG SOME
PEOPLE IN BRITAIN.
7. THE ARTICLE IS SIGNED BY JIN PU, PROBABLY A PSEUDONYM. THOUGH A NEW ONE TO US.
COMMENT
8. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT A DEFENCE OF THE CHINESE POSITION
IN TERMS OF INTERNATIONAL LAW HAS APPEARED IN THE PRESS HERE.
IT IS CLEARLY DESIGNED TO PUT FURTHER PRESSURE ON US, AND TIMED
FOR THIS ROUND OF TALKS. THE CHINESE USED SIMILAR TACTICS LAST
YEAR WHEN NEGOTIATING WITH THE AMERICANS, PARTICULARLY IN RELATION TO THE LEGALITY OF THE TAIWAN RELATIONS ACT. THE ARTICLE MAKES NO SPECIFIC REFERENCE TO THE POSITION ADOPTED BY THE
BRITISH SIDE IN THE TALKS, THOUGH IT CARRIES THOROUGHOUT A
STRONG IMPLICATION THAT THE POINTS BEING ATTACKED REPRESENT
OUR POSITION. IT DOES HOWEVER AT ONE POINT STATE **THE BRITISH SIDE SAYS THAT THE TASK OF THE BRITISH AND CHINESE NEGOTIATORS WILL BE TO STUDY HOW TO AMEND THE TREATIES ON HONG KONG, WHICH IS PRESUMABLY A REFERENCE TO THE PRIME MINISTER'S REMARKS AT HER PRESS CONFERENCE IN HONG KONG LAST SEPTEMBER.
9. SEE MIFT.
CRADOCK
FUTURE OF HONG KONG
LIMITED
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MR ROBERTS
HD/PLANNING STAFF
MR MARTIN
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MR COLES
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SIR J BULLARD
MR GIFFARD
MR DONALD MR WRIGHT
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SIR IAN SINCLAIR LEGAL ADVISER
LEGAL ADVISER
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