Redacted under FOI exemption 27(1)
SECRET
24
(18)
033763 MDHIAN 3144
SECRET
FM PEKING
TO DESKBY 19093OZ FCO
TELNO 106
OF 190903Z JANUARY 90
HKC340/1
RECEIVED IN/REGISTRY
12 TLD 1990
TOP COPY DIST?
DESK OFFICER
REGI
INDEX
PA
Achon Turun
INGO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
PERSONAL FOR MCLAREN, AUSS
NCESAREI
YOUR TELNO 50 AND YOUR TELNO 183 TO HONG KONG: CHINESE COMMENTS ON NATIONALITY PACKAGE
1. FIRST TUR: FIFOOT RAISED THIS WITH SHAO TIANREN ON 19
JANUARY.
2.
SECOND TUR: WE HAVE THE FOLLOWING COMMENTS:
(A) IT IS DIFFICULT TO ASSESS THE IMPORTANCE OF LU PINGS'S COMMENTS SIMPLY ON THE BASIS OF NEWSPAPER REPORTS. WE NEED TO KNOW FIRSTLY EXACTLY WHAT LU SAID, AND SECONDLY WHAT HE MEANT TO SAY. THERE HAS ALREADY BEEN ONE CASE WHERE LU SPOKE TO THE PRESS (MACAO IN NOVEMBER LAST YEAR) WHERE THE PRESS REPORTS QUOTED HIM OUT OF CONTEXT TO EXAGGERATE THE EFFECT, CAND INDEED WHERE LU SUBSEQUENTLY SOUGHT AND GAINED THE RIGHT TO CORRECT THESE REPORTS) (8) THE ONE RESPECT IN WHICH CHINESE ATTITUDES HAVE HARDENED ON NATIONALITY SINCE WE ANNOUNCED OUR NATIONALITY PACKAGE IS IN THEIR ANGER AT THE SHORT NOTICE WE GAVE THEM.
IT HAS REINFORCED THEIR SUSPICIONS OF OUR MOTIVATIONS AND THEIR CONVICTION THAT WE INTEND TO USE THIS TO PERPETUATE OUR INFLUENCE AFTER 1997 (C) THE FINAL CHINESE DECISION ON NATIONALITY IS LIKELY TO BE DEPENDENT ON WHAT HAPPENS ON POLITICAL STRUCTURE.
DONALD
YYYY