The Rt. Hon. Alastair Goodlad, MP
Minister of State,
Foreign and Commonwealth Office,
Downing Street,
London SWIA 2AL
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HICD 021/2
30 April 1992
RECEIVE
DESK OFFICEP
INDEX
18 MAY 1992
GISTRY
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Dear Martais,
This morning I was called upon by Mr. Hu Chuanzhong, Counsellor at the Chinese Embassy. He wanted to make contact because of my past association with Hong Kong and China.
He raised with me China's concerns about Senator McConnell's United States Hong Kong Policy Act of 1991. He said that it was China's view, that the Hong Kong issue is "purely a matter for the United Kingdom and China", and that it was quite wrong for the United States to consider legislation in the way that Senator McConnell proposed in his speech to Congress on September 20, 1991. Mr. Hu said that in his view it was a mistake to internationalise the Hong Kong issue in this way. To do so would he said "complicate our relationship". He wanted to know whether I could do anything to encourage HMG to put pressure on the Americans to dissuade them from their proposed course of action.
I am afraid I do not know what the U.K.'s positions is on all this. I imagine (and this I said to Mr. Hu) that it would be very difficult for us to interfere in any domestic legislation which the U.S. proposes to introduce about their own relationship with Hong Kong, either now or in the future. The Act covers a wide range of subjects. I do not know whether the United States has the capacity even to legislate in the way that Senator McConnell proposes. I ought to respond to Mr. Hu and would be most grateful for a briefing on what line to take.
Our offices have been in touch over lunch and I look forward to seeing you on Wednesday June 10 at 12.45 at the Berkeley Hotel, Wilton Place, London SWI.
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GLENARTHUR