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c)
The Chinese themselves decided that they wished to renege on all their commitments over Hong Kong and have used Chris Patten's behaviour as a means of doing so.
In all the turmoil of recent weeks, we seem to have lost sight of the fundamental and obvious truth that the welfare of the people of Hong Kong ultimately depends on the goodwill of China. Realpolitik was always the basis of the tripartite relationship between Britain, China and Hong Kong.
If b) above is the explanation of recent events, then it has been supremely successful! If, as seems much more likely, a) above is a true explanation for the current situation, then a very heavy burden rests on the shoulders of the British Government for allowing the deterioration in the relationship.
Unless the damage is repaired fairly quickly, we shall have done a grave disservice to the people of Hong Kong and, in my view, will have failed properly to bear our responsibility for their welfare.
Some weeks ago, I sat down with the Chinese Ambassador, Murray Maclehose and colleagues
and colleagues in both Houses, here. We had the documentation in front of us and it was privately agreed that we had broken the Agreements. I subsequently had a private discussion with Alan Donald: he too seems to share that view.
What are you going to do about it? As you know, Zhang Youyun is over here for a few days and she is seeing both Christopher Humm and Alastair Goodlad privately. I was in some difficulty when
she asked me "what is happening? Why has all the work we have done over the years to build up trust between us, been jeopardised by recent events?". If you can see her privately and I stress privately before the end of her visit-perhaps when she meets Alastair she might be able to help.
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I have read and reread your answer to me in the House on Monday. You said "As Governor, it is his duty a duty that he does not share with anyone else at present to put forward proposals for the conduct of the legislative elections in Hong Kong in 1995". That he chose to make his first public announcement about the proposals in Hong Kong before he had been to Beijing was, I believe, a serious mistake. That this occurred just prior to a meeting of the National Peoples Congress seemed deliberately