GPS 250
SECRET
SECRET
CAN COPY
FM HONG KONG 16093OZ FEB S4
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELEGRAM NUMBER 429 OF 16 FEBRUARY 1984
INFO PRIORITY PEKING
MK K040/26
RECEIVED IN WEGISTR ·
L
FUTURE OF HONG KONG: VISIT TO HONG KONG BY HUANG HUA
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1. HUANG HUA (STAGE COUNSELLOR AND VICE CHAIRMAN OF THE STANDING COMMISSION OF THE NFC) MADE AN OVERNIGHT STOP IN HONG KONG ON 14/15 FEBRUARY ON HIS WAY TO ATTEND AN ASIAN POPULATION CONFERENCE
IN NEW DELHI AT THE HEAD OF A LARGE CHINESE DELEGATION.
2. HUANG WILL BE MAKING A RATHER LONGER STOPOVER IN HONG KONG ON
HIS WAY BACK FROM THE CONFERENCE: HE WILL BE HERE FROM THE AFTERNOON
OF FRIDAY, 24 FEBRUARY UNTIL MIDDAY ON MONDAY 27 FEBRUARY. THE QUESTION ARISES WHETHER I SHOULD OFFER TO SEE HIM, OR INDEED
WHETHER MR LUCE (WHO WILL BE HERE OVER THAT WEEKEND) SHOULD DO SO.
AS A FORMER FOREIGN MINISTER AND STILL A SENIOR FIGURE HUANG IS
PRESUMABLY KEPT GENERALLY INFORMED ABOUT THE NEGOTIATIONS OVER
HONG KONG (HE TOLD THE POLITICAL ADVISER, WHO GREETED HIM AT THE
AIRPORT ON 14 FEBRUARY, THAT THE TALKS SHOULD BE SPEEDED UP AND THAT THE IMPORTANT THING WAS TO CONCENTRATE ON QUESTIONS OF
PRINCIPLE). ON THE OTHER HAND THERE IS NO PARTICULAR MESSAGE
WHICH WE WOULD WISH TO PASS TO HIM, AND THERE WOULD BE GREAT PRESS
SPECULATION IF I WERE TO SEE HIM WHILE MR LUCE WAS HERE (AND EVEN
MORE IF MR LUCE HIMSELF WERE TO MEET HIM)
3. SUBJECT TO YOUR VIEWS AND TO THOSE OF THE AMBASSADOR MY
CONCLUSION IS THAT I SHOULD NOT OFFER A MEETING. IT IS IN ANY
CASE LIKELY THAT HUANG WILL WISH TO REST OVER THE WEEKEND. YOUDE
FUTURE OF HONG KONG
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SER J BULLARD
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