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The Chinese official concerned said that if these demands
wore met, the Chinese would "certainly make corresponding gestures" (Peking tologram no. 72).
The Secretary of State has minuted "that we always seca
to move fizet on these matters". It is certainly true that
the Chinese always wish to give this impression, but in reality they have already made a major change in their position. Ever since August, the Chinese have repcated ad nauseam that an improvement in Sino-British relations depends on Hong Kong and, as recently as 12 January, Sir Donald Hopson gave it as his opinion (with which we did not entirely agree) that the problems of our Mission in Peking would not be rosolved without a major concession in Hong Kong, possibly amounting to the release of all left-wing "political" prisoners. We, on the other hand, have been trying to equate the treatment of our Mission in Peking, and all British subjects in China, with the We have also Chinese Mission and Chinese subjects in Britain. been trying, up to now without success, to make the Chinese state in precise terms what steps thoy see as essential for a
return to normal for our Mission.
5. The Chinese have now mado a move on both points. That they have done so suggests that high-level decisions have at last been taken about the future treatment of our Mission.
That these decisions aro in a rcasonably moderate form is a reflection of the calming down of the Cultural Revolution, of Chineso decisions that a policy of violence in Hong Kong
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CCFFIDENTIAL
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