CONFIDENTIAL
HKB 011/3
314
010345
MDHIAN 2133
Adob
3%
CONFIDENTIAL
FM PEKING
TO DESKBY 260830Z FCO
TELNO 701
OF 260416Z APRIL 89
1
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
MIPTS.
F A C IN CHINA:
WASH-UP SESSION.
1 AT A SHORT INFORMAL WASH-UP AT THE RESIDENCE ON 25 APRIL, HOWELL OFFERED THANKS FOR THE EMBASSY'S BRIEFING AND PRACTICAL SUPPORT. THE FAC'S GENERAL IMPRESSIONS WERE POSITIVE.
·
THEY HAD BEEN ABLE TO COUCH QUESTIONS THE RIGHT WAY AND HAD GOT POSITIVE ANSWERS. IT WAS CLEAR THERE WOULD BE CONSIDERABLE CHANGE IN THE NEXT BL DRAFT ON POLITICAL STRUCTURE, THOUGH NOT IN ARTICLE 157. THE CHINESE SEEMED RELAXED ABOUT WHAT BRITAIN THEY HAD NOT TREATED DID ON A BILL OF RIGHTS AND NATIONALITY.
THEY SAW HONG KONG AS A CONDUIT INTO THE F A C AS INTRUDERS.
THEY WERE PERHAPS TOO THE GLOBAL ECONOMIC/TECHNICAL REVOLUTION. SANGUINE ABOUT THE DEBATE ENDING WHEN THE BL WAS PASSED, BUT TIME WOULD TELL.
2.
VARIOUS MPS RAISED QUESTIONS ABOUT CHINA'S OWN POLITICAL STABILITY, ITS UNDERSTANDING OF H K PHOBIAS AND ITS WILLINGNESS TO CONSIDER FASTER TIMETABLES FOR DEMOCRATIC DEVELOPMENT. WE GAVE BROADLY REASSURING REPLIES WHILE NOTING CHINA'S OWN POSSIBLE PHOBIAS ABOUT THE UK.
3. SHORE SUGGESTED THE CHINESE MIGHT UNDER-ESTIMATE SUPPORT FOR
BECAUSE OF THE DEMOCRACY IN HK ESPECIALLY AMONG THE YOUNG,
WE DREW ATTENTION TO THE GROWING NATURE OF THEIR CONTACTS. PRACTICE OF FAMILIARISATION VISITS WHICH WAS DESIGNED I A TO GIVE INFLUENTIAL CHINESE A CLEARER VIEW. TEMPLE-MORRIS AND ROWLANDS SUGGESTED THE UK SHOULD PLAY A PART IN DRAWING TOGETHER H K OPINION ON POLITICAL ISSUES AND PROMOTING MORE PROGRESSIVE SOLUTIONS WITH THE CHINESE, SINCE THERE WERE LIMITS ON WHAT H K G COULD DO. IT WAS NOT CLEAR WHERE H M G STOOD IN FACE OF THE ''UNHOLY ALLIANCE'' OF THE CHINESE AND H K CONSERVATIVES. WE DID NOT COMMENT ON THIS.
ROWLANDS ASKED IF THE CHINESE WOULD ATTACK A BRITISH EXTENSION
WE SAID WE COULD OF RIGHT OF ABODE AS BEING CONTRARY TO THE JD. NOT BE SURE. BUT THE INDICATIONS WERE THAT THEY DID NOT WANT TO
4.
1
PAGE CONFIDENTIAL