香港總督府
Dem Tory,
CONFIDENTIAL
Pa
w.
डीद
GOVERNMENT HOUSE
HONG KONG
176
th. Wilm og
Dr. hotell. Mi Luby
2 September 1985
copied to HKK 100/3
онки
Chinese Attitude to Hong Kong
173
I have already reported in my telno 1751 of 29 August what Maria TAM told me of her conversation with XU Jiatun in the context of the Basic Law. She also recounted some other comments made by the Peking Officials she met in Peking which illustrated their constant suspicions about our motives.
Members of the Hong Kong and Macau Office were suspicious of the objectives of the Bill passed last session which removed the restriction on using foreign currency for purchases in Hong Kong. As you know we had planned to pass the Bill a year or more ago and it was only held up until members of UMELCO were convinced that it could be passed without disturbance to the financial sector and public confidence. It did no more than legitimise what has been going on in Hong Kong for many years. American and other tourists regularly buy goods in the shops for U.S. dollars. While it was legal for them to use U.S. dollar travellers cheques it was technically illegal for them to use notes. We were faced with a need either to enforce the law or amend it. In this day and age the only sensible thing to do was amend it. There was very little reaction to the move here.
A C Galsworthy Esq CMG
Head of Hong Kong Department Foreign and Commonwealth Office London
CONFIDENTIAL
12
LICK ONL
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
OGSEP 1985
DESK 657*
INDIA
Action Taken