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The Chinese Position
8. Both the Nationalist Government of Chiang Kai-shek and
the Communist Government have consistently maintained that
Hong Kong is part of China, forcibly occupied by the British.
The PRC have always held that the three Nineteenth century
treaties under which Hong Kong was ceded and leased are among
the 'unequal treaties' imposed by foreigners as a result of
Up to now, the Chinese view has been that
China's weakness.
Hong Kong, which provides considerable economic benefit to
China, is a legacy from history to be tackled at the appropriate
time. But the continued existence of Hong Kong is an affront
Chinese feelings on this issue go very
to Chinese nationalism.
deep.
.-
9. In Chinese thinking, Hong Kong's future is closely linked
with that of Taiwan and Macao. The Chinese regard all three
as Chinese territory removed from their jurisdiction as a result
of foreign interference. The reunification of Taiwan with the
mainland has always been a leading objective of the PRC. Hong
Kong is not of the same importance for them. But Taipei's
predictably negative response to recent overtures from Peking
may mean that the Chinese leadership now envisage the problems
of Hong Kong and Macao being settled first. What is clear is
that the PRC would not agree to any arrangement for Hong Kong
which might prejudice their position on Taiwan, and that they
regard their nine-point proposals on Taiwan set out in September
1981 (see Annex D) as relevant to both Hong Kong and Macao.
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/10.