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[5 JULY 1989 }
ontents of the Statement. I welcome the part cerning the Vietnamese boat people. I welcome
the more flexible administration of the Nationality Act and of the immigration rules to allow more Hong Kong peopie to come to the United Kingdom fairly soon if they wish, and the working but of a more general plan later. I should like to know whether that interpretation of the Statement is correct.
Above all I welcome the fact that Hong Kong's future will continue to be built on the joint declaration and that the Government foresee the Basic Law being stiffened to implement it. The problem is that, to have confidence in their future under the Basic Law, the Hong Kong people are asking for right of abode in this country. They are backed in this by the governor, the Executive and Legislative Councils and a formidable number of people. On the other hand, the two major parties in this country will not have it. There is an impasse which is threatening the development of the future of Hong Kong and of British policy and interests there. I hope that there will be an opportunity to debate this at some future date.
Meanwhile, should we not bear in mind that this crisis is due not to a recent action of the British Government but to what the PLA did in Peking? Would it not be a help if the Chinese Government were to volunteer-and to volunteer soon-that they do not envisage the PLA being stationed in Hong Kong except in time of war?
5 p.m.
Lord Glenarthur: My Lords, I am most grateful to the noble Lord, Lord MacLehose, for welcoming what is contained in the Statement, what my right honourable friend said about the Vietnamese boat people and what is being looked at in terms of flexibility. As I indicated to the noble Lord, Lord Cledwyn-and I hope the noble Lord will forgive me if I do not go into detail-what I said when I repeated the Statement earlier and spoke from this Dispatch Box was that all this is being looked at and it is to be hoped that an announcement will be made before too long. I certainly agree with him that it is important to build on the magnificent achievement in the Joint Declaration and, as I have indicated, stiffen the Basic Law where it is practical to do so.
The noble Lord raised the matter of the right of abode. Of course, I realise the force of the argument in support of that and, indeed, the feeling with which it is put forward so regularly by people in Hong Kong. However, as my right honourable and learned friend made perfectly plain, granting automatic right of abode to the several million people there is simply not a realistic option; it would create the most immense practical difficulties, and I must say that I think that that is a view which is shared by the great majority of Members on all sides of your Lordships' House. Indeed, it has been confirmed by the report of the Foreign Affairs Committee in another place. Perhaps I may paraphrase what my right honourable and learned friend said in Hong Kong the other day: to hold out the promise of an insurance policy knowing that a future British Government could not possibly deliver would be a gross deception.
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I turn now to the issue of the actions of the People's Liberation Army being largely responsible for what has occurred in damaging the confidence of Hong Kong. I certainly take the point that the noble Lord made. However, I think that, if he reflects upon what I repeated in the Statement, he will see that.what he spoke of is just the sort of action that is under consideration.
Lord Eden of Winton: My Lords, listening closely to the Statement which my noble friend read to the House, it seemed to me that the British Government are engaged in discussions with the governments of other countries with a view to mobilising some sort of rescue operation should circumstances ever overtake Hong Kong which would make such action necessary. If that is the correct interpretation. then that is tantamount to saying that were such appalling disasters to overtake Hong Kong, the British Government would not let down the people of Hong Kong. Further, if that interpretation is correct, has that fact been made as clear as that to the people of Hong Kong?
While I am on my feet, perhaps I may trespass for a moment on a related aspect of the matter and ask my noble friend if he can comment-if not immediately, perhaps at some point-about something which I understand is shortly to take place; namely, a visit by a top level British industrial and commercial mission to China. It seems to me that if that is the case, then it is shamefully soon after the events in Tiananmen Square and ought not to take place.
Lord Glenarthur: My Lords, my noble friend's interpretation of the mobilisation of international support is broadly correct. Of course, if matters were to go so horribly wrong as he envisages, there would also be a commitment upon us. Indeed, my right honourable and learned friend made that perfectly plain on one or two occasions when he spoke in Hong Kong. However, it is extremely important that the ground is preprared for the kind of detailed work which we all hoped it would not ultimately be necessary to bring into effect. That is why my right honourable and learned friend has taken the step so far of stimulating interest in this serious problem in the United States and in the European Community. and among Commonwealth countries. Therefore I very much take the point made by my noble friend. So far as concerns the industrial mission—that is, the Sino-British Trade Council mission, which is being looked at—I can reassure my noble friend that it is curently under reconsideration.
Lord Hailsham of Saint Marylebone: My Lords, it may or may not be that my noble friend will wish to comment upon this, but I should like to put forward a point of view from this Bench. It relates solely to the main issue and not to the Vietnamese boat people. I should like to say that. not only for his personal dignity but also for his extremely sensible, restrained and responsible attitude. the highest possible praise ought to be given to my right honourable and learned friend the Foreign Secretary.
I think that I should also express from these Benches, from which perhaps it comes better than