CONFIDENTIAL
@CC HKB 026/10
@ Mr Tedstone
19
037006
MDLIAN 4405
CONFIDENTIAL
FM PEKING
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 1547
OF 050945Z NOVEMBER 90
to enter
TOP COPY DIST?
INFO PRIORITY BTC HONG KONG, UKREP JLG HONG KONG, HONG KONG
FCO PERSONAL FOR PAUL
BTC HONG KONG PERSONAL FOR HEAP
нк
RECEP
8026/10
8 NOV 1990
UKREP JLG HONG KONG PERSONAL FOR GALSWORTHY
IME.
HONG KONG PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR
PW
HONG KONG TELNO 3169: VISIT OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE TO CHINA AND
HONG KONG
THANK YOU FOR BRINGING ME UP TO DATE ON THE SECRETARY OF
STATE'S TRAVEL PLANS.
1.
2.
I WOULD WELCOME A VISIT BY THE SECRETARY OF STATE IN APRIL. HE WILL FIND THE PHYSICAL APPEARANCE OF PEKING MUCH CHANGED SINCE THE 1950S, BUT I EXPECT HIM TO DETECT A CERTAIN UNDERLYING CONTINUITY IN THE CHINESE APPROACH TO MANY PROBLEMS DESPITE THE
VAGARIES OF CHINESE POLITICAL LIFE SINCE THAT PERIOD.
3. ON TIMING, I WOULD BE HAPPY TO SEE HIM AT ANY POINT IN THE PERIOD 1-9 APRIL. UNLIKE THE GOVERNOR I DO, HOWEVER, HAVE A PREFERENCEON THE ORDER OF VISITS TO PEKING AND HONG KONG. I VERY MUCH HOPE THAT THE SECRETARY OF STATE COULD VISIT PEKING FIRST, TO UNDERLINE THE POLITICAL FACT THAT HONG KONG IS BEST ADDRESSED
IN THE BROAD CONTEXT OF A FLOURISHING BILATERAL RELATIONSHIP COVERING A VARIETY OF POLITICAL QUESTIONS. A VISIT TO PEKING VIA
HONG KONG WOULD RISK FOSTERING TWO MISLEADING IMPRESSIONS:
(A) THAT OFR INTEREST IN CHINA IS DICTATED SOLELY BY THE NEED
FOR CONTINUED COOPERATION ON HONG KONG
(B) THAT THE DIRECTION OF OUR BILATERAL POLICY IS ENTIRELY GOVERNED BY PERCEPTIONS IN THE TERRITORY.
MY TELNO 1403 OF 12 OCTOBER COMMENTED IN MORE DETAIL ON THE
1
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