CONFIDENTIAL
072753 MDLIAN 283
RANGE OF SUBJECTS INCLUDING HONG KONG THROUGH 1997 AND UP TO 2000.
COMMENT
5. I FIND IT PARTICULARLY ENCOURAGING THAT IN THE EVENT JAPAN DID NOT NEED TO BE PROMPTED BY US TO RAISE HONG KONG IN THE TERMS WE WOULD WISH IN FORMAL CONSULTATIONS WITH THE CHINESE. THE CHINA DIVISION IS NOW ENTIRELY STAFFED BY QUOTE CHINA SCHOOL UNQUOTE OFFICIALS AND WE HAD EXPECTED A LESS FORTHCOMING APPROACH ON HONG KONG. WE SENSE THAT HONG KONG HAS NOW BECOME AN INTEGRAL PART OF JAPAN'S OVERALL CHINA STRATEGY (ALTHOUGH THIS, OF COURSE, CAN ONLY BE TESTED AGAINST THEIR FUTURE ACTIONS). THE CHARACTERISATION OF JAPANESE SUPPORT FOR HONG KONG AS AN AREA OF COOPERATION ON THIRD COUNTRY ISSUES WITH BENEFITS FOR THE BILATERAL RELATIONSHIP IS ALSO SIGNIFICANT. WE SHOULD OBVIOUSLY TRY TO STAY CLOSLY IN TOUCH WITH TO THE JAPANESE ON WIDER CHINA POLICY PARTICULARLY ON HUMAN RIGHTS AND IN THE SHORTER TERM ON THE QUESTION OF US POLICY TO CHINA AND
MFN.
BOYD
YYYY
MAIN
148
DISTRIBUTION
159
.CHINA POLITICAL
FED
UND
LEGAL ADVISERS
PUSD
INFO D
CONSULAR D
CRD
EASD/ODA//MR MOSSELMANS
EASD/ODA//MR MCCLEAN
ECD (E)
ECONOMIC ADVISERS
CFSP UNIT
ERD
HKD
HRPD
PAGE
SAD
SEAD
PS
PS/BARONESS CHALKER
PS/MR GOODLAD
PS/PUS
MR LANKESTER
MR APPLEYARD CHIEF CLERK SIR J COLES MR AINSCOW
MR ALSTON
SIR M BURTON
MR HUM
MR BONE
MR MANNING
2
CONFIDENTIAL