mnhongkong3011 CODE 18-77
CONFIDENTIAL
Reference.....
59
Mr Rické HKD
Ricketts
FUTURE OF HONG KONG
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2/12
Mom's Mr Burke fri
Mr White 3/
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1. I was interested to see from Mr Whitney's note of 26 November that Mr Peter Woo, Wharf Holdings, told the PUS on 23 November that "we should be careful about using the argument that Hong Kong was essential to China's continued economic development". The same point was made to me by several people during my visit to Hong Kong and Seoul a week or so ago. Mr Huber, the Dutch No 2 in Seoul who is one of his Ministry's leading Chinese experts, made this point very strongly. He also thought that since China saw Hong Kong as part of its territory even now, China was not going to agree to the democratic steps put forward by the Governor (a view shared I see by Mr John Walden in a letter to The Times on 25 November).
2. From several conversations in Hong Kong I sensed a widely-held view that it was fine to put forward democratic proposals but they had come too late in the day. A few years ago, perhaps immediately post-Tiananmen, would have been much better.
3. It seems to me that the Governor having taken this stand cannot be seen to back down in the face of Chinese pressure. The Chinese themselves seem very unlikely to give any ground either. Therefore, having said that his proposals largely represent the views of the people of Hong Kong, he will presumably be prepared to adapt his proposals if the views of the people, however they are measured, change. Several people I spoke to in Hong Kong including Mr Barron, BBC representative, saw that as the most hopeful way forward if serious confrontation was to be avoided.
4. I make these points not in any judgemental way, but purely for the record. I am sure they tell you nothing new.
Korea
5. As agreed with Mr Bunten I took advantage of a call in Seoul on 20 November on Mr Yun Hae-joong, Deputy Director General, Asian Affairs Bureau, Foreign Ministry, to raise Hong Kong. Mr Yun was previously stationed in Hong Kong and in Peking in the lead up to Korea's establishment of diplomatic relations with China. I explained that we were entering a difficult phase in our relations with China over Hong Kong and stressed that the Governor was keen to hear China's proposals. The Chinese were currently mounting a
CONFIDENTIAL