CONFIDENTIAL
NFIDENTIA
Page 65
expatriates there in an apparent attempt to demonstrate the legitimacy of their own Hong Kong credentials. He had explained at every opportunity during his visit why it was impossible for the British Government to grant this demand. By the end of his visit some of his interlocutors were beginning to acknowledge, at least in private, that they understood this. But it would be some time before the situation in Hong Kong fully settled down again. He had assured people that the Government would respect he views of Hong Kong as to the pace of democratic change in territory. He had been able to promise that a Bill of ghts for Hong Kong would be introduced soon. He had made it that the Government would press China on such issues as ght of the Chinese Government to declare a state of emergency in Hong Kong under Article 18 of the draft Basic Law and the question of the stationing of Chinese military forces in Hong Kong after 1997. He had emphasised the need in seeking to restore public confidence to build upon the Anglo-Chinese Joint Declaration 1984 and to resume in due course the efforts in this direction made through the activities of the Joint Liaison Group.
CON
Continuing, the his contacts with people determine links with China, no Kong investment in Republic. Business
REIGN AND COMMONWEALTH SECRETARY said that in Hong Kong business community he had found aintain Hong Kong's valuable commercial east because there had been so much Hong es set up within the Chinese People's in in Hong Kong was concerned that the debate that recent ever and stimulated in the United States should not lead to ach in American thinking toward economic sanctions agar China. Hong Kong businessmen understood the measures the United Kingdom had taken and announced in relation to chi and the need to demonstrate public indignation about the represion in China. But they also knew that continuing commer
commercontacts with China were indispensable. On the Vietnamese people he had explained to Hong Kong opinion the result the recent International Conference in Geneva and the project that those Vietnamese arrivals in Hong Kong who did not qualify as refugees would be repatriated to Vietnam. Everybody in Hong Kong had welcomed
this.
In a brief discussion, it was pointed out
Sino-British
Trade Council would be meeting on 7 July and was likely to postpone, while martial law continued, the trade exhibition it had been planning to sponsor in China in Novemb this year. Expenditure incurred, and commitments from publ be honoured; but no further public funds would be omitted. There was some disposition on the part of China's international trading partners (e.g. France and Japa
back from aid-related trade to China for the time being.
would
major
draw
CONFIDENTIAL
Page 65
6
Page 65
CONFIDENTIAL