RESTRICTED
RESTRICTED
FM FCO
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELNO 857
OF 04140OZ MAY 91
INFO PRIORITY PEKING, WASHINGTON
to
172232
MDHOAN 2928
Whis orola
13 MAY 19 Mr Stone.
TOP COPY Q DIST?
FROM HKD
YOUR TELNO 1062: MFN STATUS FOR CHINA: EFFECT ON HONG KONG
1. WE WERE MOST GRATEFUL FOR YOUR ANALYSIS IN TUR AND THE DETAILED PAPER. WE AGREE BROADLY WITH THE THRUST OF YOUR APPROACH. WE SHALL BE SEEKING MINISTERS VIEWS EARLY NEXT WEEK ON WHAT WE SHOULD DO TO REINFORCE YOUR EFFORTS. WE HAVE IN MIND
SUCH ASPECTS AS RAISING HONG KONG AND MFN IN APPROPRIATE BILATERALS WITH THE AMERICANS, GETTING THIRD COUNTRIES WITH AN INTEREST ON SIDE, AND TALKING TO CHINESE ABOUT WHAT THEY MIGHT DO ON WHICH WE WILL TELEGRAPH FURTHER SEPARATELY.
MND
2.
IT WOULD BE PRUDENT HOWEVER TO CONSIDER WHETHER THERE ARE ANY WAYS IN WHICH WE COULD SEEK TO SHIELD HONG KONG, SHOULD IT APPEAR THAT NON-RENEWAL OF CHINA'S MEN STATUS WAS LOOMING. IS THERE, FOR EXAMPLE, ANY MILEAGE IN THE THOUGHTS SET OUT IN
PARA 6 OF PEKING TELNO 575 THAT THE BAN COULD BE DESIGNED TO
AVOID HARMING THE COMMERCIAL INTERESTS OF HONG KONG JOINT VENTURES OR RE EXPORTERS?
HONG KONG BE EXEMPTED?
COULD CHINESE EXPORTS ROUTED VIA
3.
WE WOULD WELCOME YOUR THOUGHTS ON ANY MEASURES TO PROTECT
HONG KONG, WHICH WE MIGHT PUT TO THE AMERICANS, IF THE SITUATION WARRANTED IT.
HURD
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