CONFIDENTIAL
015742
MDHIAN 5254
KONG WERE INSEPARABLE. BOTH RIGHTS SHOULD BE RETURNED TO CHINA WHICH WOULD DELEGATE ADMINISTRATIVE POWERS TO HONG KONG. WHAT I HAD SAID
CONTRAVENED THE SPIRIT OF THE JD.
COMMENT
12. WHILE LI WAS CLEARLY WELL PREPARED TO SPEAK ABOUT LATEST CHINESE POLICIES TOWARDS HONG KONG, OUR OVERALL IMPRESSION (CONFIRMED BY A DETAILED ACCOUNT OF THE INTERVIEW IN THE HONG KONG STANDARD WHICH IS BEING FAXED TO HKD) WAS THAT HE WAS RESPONDING TO QUESTIONS, SOME LEADING, FROM HONG KONG REPORTERS RATHER THAN MAKING ANY COMPREHENSIVE STATEMENT ON CHINA'S POSITION. NEVERTHELESS, HIS ANSWERS GIVE GOOD INDICATIONS OF THE LINES THAT THE CHINESE MAY WELL BE MINDED TO MOVE ALONG IN THE NEAR FUTURE ON THE POLITICAL SYSTEM, SUBVERSION AND INTERNATIONALISATION. NO ENCOURAGEMENT CAN BE DRAWN
FROM HIS VIEWS ON ANY OF THESE POINTS.
13. SINCE LI CLAIMED HE WAS ONLY GIVING HIS OWN VIEWS FOR THE
FURTHER CONSIDERATION OF DRAFTERS, WE DO NOT/NOT THINK WE SHOULD RESPOND PUBLICLY AT THIS STAGE. WE WILL HOWEVER HAVE TO CONSIDER HOW
TO TAKE UP THESE ISSUES AT JLG XIV. UKREP JLG WILL TELEGRAPH FURTHER
ON THIS IN THE CONTEXT OF OUR GENERAL STRATEGY FOR THE JLG MEETING.
MEANWHILE, I AM ASKING THE PA TO EXPRESS SURPRISE TO NCNA AT LI'S APPARENT WILFUL MISUNDERSTANDING OF WHAT I SAID IN WASHINGTON WHICH
SITS ODDLY WITH OUR CAREFUL EXPLANATION OF BOTH THE DETAIL AND THE
CONTENT OF WHAT I ACTUALLY SAID.
WILSON
YYYY
ΜΑΙΝ
58
DISTRIBUTION
61
.HONG KONG AGREEMENT
.(RESTRICTED)
LIMITED
HKD
HD/FED
RESEARCH (FE)
PUSD
NEWS D
PS/MR MAUDE
PS/LORD BRABAZON
MR GILLMORE
MR MCLAREN MR MOSS