CONFIDENTIAL
FM HANOI
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 12,8
CONFIDENTIAL
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MDLIAN 6420
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OF 250631Z FEBRUARY 92
AND TO PRIORITY HONG KONG
INFO PRIORITY PEKING
-HONG KONG PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR-
✪ 5 MAR 1992
VIETNAM/CHINA: VISIT OF CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTER: HONG KONG
BY
*.....
1. I HAVE BEEN INFORMED IN STRICT CONFIDENCE (PLEASE PROTECT) BY A MEMBER OF THE VIETNAMESE SIDE AT THE MEETING BETWEEN CAM AND QUIAN QICHEN THAT THE SUBJECT OF HONG KONG WAS BROUGHT UP BY THE CHINESE. REPORTEDLY THE CHINESE ASKED THAT THE NAMES OF ALL PROSPECTIVE VIETNAMESE VISITORS, OFFICIALS OR BUSINESSMEN TO HONG KONG SHOULD BE PASSED TO THE CHINESE EMBASSY IN HANOI FOR MONITORING WHEN HONG KONG VISAS WERE APPLIED FOR AT THIS EMBASSY. THE VIETNAMESE APPARENTLY AGREED.
COMMENT
2. THIS SEEMS A LITTLE FAR-FETCHED. THE VIETNAMESE SAY THEY AGREED BECAUSE TO DO OTHERWISE WOULD RISK APPEARING TO CHALLENGE THE LEGITIMACY OF THE CHINESE CLAIM TO A COLONIAL OUTPOST AND ALSO BECAUSE ECONOMIC RELATIONS WITH HONG KONG AFTER 1997 WILL STILL BE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT FOR
VIETNAM. IN VIETNAMESE FASHION I SUSPECT HOWEVER THAT THIS ''AGREEMENT'' WILL NOT BE MUCH OBSERVED IN PRACTICE.
WILLIAMS
YYYY
MAIN
84
.CAMBODIA/VIETNAM
LIMITED
SEAD
LEGAL ADVISERS
PUSD
DISTRIBUTION
103
UND
EAPD/ODA
PS
PS/LORD CAITHNESS
PS/MR LENNOX-BOYD
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