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should not expect Chinese acquiescence, but it might mitigate their reaction.
6.
The draft telegram agrees that the Administration should
consult ExCo (whose views on this issue may well be
cautious). It also sets out some thoughts from our Legal Adviser on the detailed proposals. In particular it is not clear to us (without having seen the draft Amendment Bill) that the new legal power will enable Hong Kong to differentiate as they propose between internal political organisations (they do not wish to ban these) and those with links to external organisations (they want the power to ban these, to prevent Hong Kong being used as a site for others' political battles). How you would classify the Hong Kong Alliance on these terms seem to me a very moot point.
PF Ricketts
A good, to myhtiful reply. We shall have to allow the HKG to proceed, but it is worth reducing the scope for argument with the Chinese.
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