RESTRICTED
MDH
117420
1065
GOVERNMENT SHOULD PREVENT THE ADOPTION OF THIS BILL.
HONG KONG IS A MAJOR ISSUE IN SINO-UK RELATIONS. INTERFERENCE BY THE US IN HONG KONG AFFAIRS THROUGH DOMESTIC LEGISLATION IS NOT HELPFUL TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE JD AND WILL DISRUPT SINO-UK CO-OPERATION ON THE HONG KONG ISSUE. AS A RESULT IT WILL COMPLICATE THE HONG KONG ISSUE AND SERIOUSLY UNDERMINE THE PROSPERITY AND STABILITY OF HONG KONG.
THIS IS CLEARLY NOT IN THE INTERESTS OF EITHER SIDE AND IS NOT CONDUCIVE TO THE UK'S LONG TERM ECONOMIC INTERESTS IN HONG KONG.
WE HAVE NOTED THAT THE GOVERNOR RECENTLY TOLD ZHOU NAN THAT BRITAIN HAD NOT ENCOURAGED THIS AMERICAN ACTION. BRITAIN IS DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN HONG KONG AND IS ALSO AN ALLY OF THE US. IT SHOULD THEREFORE ISSUE A CLEAR STATEMENT OF ITS POSITION ON THIS BILL. WE BELIEVE THAT IF BRITAIN, RATHER THAN ADOPTING AN ATTITUDE OF TACIT ACCEPTANCE, OPENLY STATES ITS OPPOSITION IT WILL BE VERY DIFFICULT FOR THE US TO ADOPT THIS BILL. WE HOPE THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT IS FULLY AWARE OF THE SERIOUSNESS AND URGENCY OF THE MATTER AND WILL MAKE ITS OPPOSITION TO THIS BILL CLEAR TO THE AMERICANS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. WE TREAT THIS INTERFERENCE BY THE US IN THE AFFAIRS OF HONG KONG VERY SERIOUSLY AND HOPE THAT THE BRITISH SIDE WILL PAY SERIOUS ATTENTION TO THE CHINESE SIDE'S VIEW, AND AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE TAKE THE NECESSARY ACTION TO SAFEGUARD THE COMMON INTERESTS OF BOTH SIDES.
IN ADDITION, WE HAVE ALSO NOTED THAT RECENTLY THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT'S COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC RELATIONS HAS BEEN DELIBERATING ON 'A DRAFT RESOLUTION CONCERNING EC ECONOMIC AND TRADE RELATIONS WITH HONG KONG''. THIS DRAFT RESOLUTION AND THE US-HONG KONG POLICY ACT ARE OF THE SAME NATURE: THEY INTERFERE IN HONG KONG'S AFFAIRS AND INTERNATIONALIZE THE HONG KONG ISSUE. THE PROPOSER OF THE DRAFT IS THE BRITISH LABOUR MEP MR HINDLEY WHO IN HIS REPORT MADE MANY GROUNDLESS ACCUSATIONS AGAINST THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT. WE HOPE THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT WILL CLEARLY STATE THEIR OPPOSITION TO THIS RESOLUTION AND ENSURE THAT THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT DOES NOT DISCUSS AND PASS IT.
ENDS
MCLAREN
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