SECRET
THIS IS A COPY
THE ORIGINAL HAS BEEN CLOSED FOR
40 YEARS UNDER FOI
EXEMPTION NO...761), 40(2)
VISIT BY MALAYSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER, JULY 1983
BRIEF NO 2: FUTURE OF HONG KONG
BACKGROUND
The Secretary of State and Mr Luce are aware of the background on the future of Hong Kong.
1.
2.
The Malaysians are keeping a close eye on developments in Hong Kong where they have considerable investments. Some Malaysian fingers were burnt as a result of the sharp fall in Hong Kong property prices in recent months. Like other ASEAN countries Malaysia can be expected to try to benefit from any investment which might be directed away from Hong Kong.
3.
Mr Ghazali accompanied Dr Mahathir when he passed through Hong Kong in January and discussed the future with the Political Adviser. Mr Ghazali expressed then his optimism about the prospects for a successful outcome to our talks with the Chinese. This optimism was apparently based largely on the assurance given to him in China in November 1982 (by the then Foreign Minister Huang Hua) that the Chinese intention was to 'leave everything in Hong Kong exactly as it is.'
4.
Dr Mahathir
called on the Prime Minister on 9 ..
March but there was no substantive discussion of Hong Kong at that meeting.
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