CONFIDENTIAL
He mentioned Ho Yin, but only in passing and in such a way as to suggest that he did not regard him as the leading, or the only, Chinese "representative". The Governor told Senator Mansfield that he realised that the questions of Hong Kong and Macao were inevitably linked together in the Chinese mind. Nevertheless the Portuguese had been far more sensible in the way which they had dealt with the Chinese than we had. He pointed rather disparagingly at the continued troubles in Hong Kong and deprecated, as other Macanese spokesmen had done in the past, the necessity for police operations in recent months and indeed the use of the British Army. He gave it as his opinion that after Hong Kong had been handed back to China Macao, "which had not originally been taken by force, like Hlong Kong" would still be a Portuguese possession.
4. All in all Senator Mansfield appears to have lapped up what the Governor told him. This is not of any particular significance except that his impressions have been passed directly to the President in a personal report
The State and may at some later stage be publicised. Department are well aware of the true situation.
I attach
5. I am sending copies of this letter to Anthony Elliott in Hong Kong and to the Chancery at Lisbon. spare copies for you to pass to Carter in the Commonwealth Office and, if you wish, to Peking.
(K.M.Wilford )
CONFIDENTIAL
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