CONFIDENTIAL
FM PEKING
TO DESKBY 071030Z FCO
TELNO 169
OF 070928Z FEBRUARY 92
CONFIDENTIAL
HKD 021/2.
13 FEB 1992
HISTRY
✓7/2. 28
о
073377
MDHIAN 2171
TOP COPY Q DIST?
INFO PRIORITY WASHINGTON, HONG KONG, UKREP JLG HONG KONG INFO ROUTINE ACTOR
Enter
12 مل
FOR HKD
5
FCO TELNO 139 TO WASHINGTON AND WASHINGTON TELNO 275: THE US/HONG KONG POLICY ACT 1991 (THE MCCONNELL BILL)
SUMMARY
1. CHINESE PROBABLY DO NOT SERIOUSLY EXPECT A CRITICAL BRITISH
STATEMENT AND NO REAL NEED IN UK/CHINA TERMS TO MAKE ONE.
DETAIL
2. IN MY VIEW WE SHOULD NOT ALLOW OURSELVES TO BE RUSHED INTO A MORE ACTIVE AND PUBLIC ROLE ON THE MCCONNELL BILL. AS REGARDS INFLUENCING THE CONTENT OF THE BILL, I NOTE THE ADVICE IN WASHINGTON TUR THAT IT WOULD BE BEST TO SEE WHETHER THE ADMINISTRATION ARE SUCCESSFUL IN THEIR EFFORTS TO SECURE AMENDMENTS, AND THAT WE SHOULD IN THE MEANTIME FEED IN ANY DETAILED POINTS TO THE ADMINISTRATION.
3. THE CHINESE WOULD NO DOUBT WELCOME A BRITISH STATEMENT WHICH WAS CRITICAL OF THE BILL. BUT I DOUBT WHETHER THEY SERIOUSLY EXPECT US TO MAKE ONE (THERE HAS SO FAR BEEN NO CHINESE LOBBYING HERE TO MATCH AMBASSADOR MA'S ACTIVITY IN LONDON). EVEN IF THEY DO HAVE SUCH AN EXPECTATION I DO NOT THINK THAT THE BILATERAL RELATIONSHIP OVER HONG KONG WOULD SUFFER GREATLY FROM OUR FAILURE TO MEET IT. IF WE DID MAKE A CRITICAL STATEMENT THE DOWN SIDE IN TERMS OF ACCUSATIONS OF KOWTOWING ETC, COULD BE CONSIDERABLE, IN DOMESTIC POLITICAL TERMS AS WELL AS IN THE US, AND WITH THE UNITED DEMOCRATS.
IF MINISTERS ARE OBLIGED TO SAY SOMETHING ON THE RECORD, EG IN RESPONSE TO A PARLIAMENTARY QUESTION ABOUT HMG'S ATTITUDE, IT MIGHT BE BEST TO KEEP SUCH A STATEMENT SHORT AND LOW KEY, BALANCING A REFERENCE TO THE UK'S RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF HONG
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