Mr Hart, Defence Dept
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Mr. Moys
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SERVICE ATTACHES' COURSE
No your
1. Your minute of 1 February. I should like to suggest some minor amendments to the paragraph on China used by Mr Wright for his last talk to attachés, and a reformulation of your proposed additional passage on Hong Kong. How about:
'There are self-evident reasons for continuing to
build up both political and economic relations with the most populous country in the world at a time when the Chinese themselves are anxious to put the long era of isolationism and attempted self-sufficiency behind them. We should be willing to put an effort into this, particularly since it helps restrain Soviet adventurism. We are concerned to ensure that the question of Hong Kong does not distract us from this important task. Indeed agreement on future arrangements for Hong Kong, in whose stability and prosperity we and the Chinese have a common interest, could itself give a new impetus to Sino- British relations.1
DE 18-77
2 February 1984
cc: Mr Hum, HKD (WH306)
S
PAB Thomson
Far Eastern Department K258
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