SECRET
FUTURE EGRET
41110
1
QUICKLY IN THE EARLY TO MID-1980S IF NOTHING WAS DONE TO REMOVE THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE 1997 DEADLINE IN A WAY CONSISTENT WITH THE POSITION OF THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT ON HONG KONG'S FUTURE. ACCORDINGLY, WHEN THE GOVERNOR OF HONG KONG VISITED PEKING IN MARCH 1979 AT THE INVITATION OF THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT, DISCUSSIONS TOOK PLACE ON THE PROBLEM OF LAND LEASES IN THE NEW TERRITORIES. THESE DISCUSSIONS DID NOT RESULT IN MEASURES TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM. HOWEVER CHAIRMAN DENG XIAOPING FORMALLY REQUESTED THE GOVERNOR TO TELL INVESTORS IN HONG KONG TO PUT
THEIR HEARTS AT EASE.
7. IN THE COURSE OF THE NEXT TWO YEARS CONCERN IN HONG KONG ABOUT THE FUTURE MOUNTED. PUBLIC CALLS FOR THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT TO OPEN DISCUSSIONS WITH CHINA ON THE FUTURE OF THE TERRITORY CAME FROM A NUMBER OF COMMUNITY LEADERS IN HONG KONG INCLUDING THE SENIOR UNOFFICIAL MEMBER OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL AND THE CHAIRMAN OF THE HONG KONG CIVIC ASSOCIATION.
THE PRIME MINISTER'S VISIT TO CHINA
8.
AGAINST THIS BACKGROUND THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT HAD DECIDED THAT THE PRIME MINISTER'S VISIT TO CHINA IN SEPTEMBER 1982 WOULD PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY TO OPEN DISCUSSIONS WITH THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT ON THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG. IT WAS EVIDENT THAT THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT HAD REACHED THE SAME CONCLUSION, AND SUBSTANTIVE DISCUSSIONS TOOK PLACE DURING THE VISIT. FOLLOWING A MEETING BETWEEN THE PRIME MINISTER AND CHAIRMAN DENG XIAOPING ON 24 SEPTEMBER 1982 THE FOLLOWING JOINT STATEMENT WAS ISSUED:
'TODAY THE LEADERS OF BOTH COUNTRIES HELD FAR-REACHING TALKS IN
BOTH LEADERS A FRIENDLY ATMOSPHERE ON THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG. MADE CLEAR THEIR RESPECTIVE POSITIONS ON THIS SUBJECT. THEY AGREED TO ENTER TALKS THROUGH DIPLOMATIC CHANNELS FOLLOWING THE VISIT WITH THE COMMON AIM OF MAINTAINING THE STABILITY AND
PROSPERITY OF HONG KONG.'
THE COURSE OF THE NEGOTIATIONS
9. THE PRIME MINISTER'S VISIT WAS FOLLOWED BY THE FIRST PHASE OF NEGOTIATIONS CONDUCTED BY H M AMBASSADOR, PEKING AND THE CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY. THESE CONSISTED OF EXCHANGES BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES ON THE BASIS ON WHICH THE NEGOTIATIONS WOULD BE CONDUCTED,
3
ཅན་;1.}
SECRET
FUTURE EGRET