TNAG-0046-FCO40-82-Britain-s-entry-into-EEC-effect-on-trade-with-Hong-Kong-1967 — Page 41

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to this course are decisive. The Chinese

could scarcely be expected to accept that

this step was being taken solely to achieve

a limited objective connected with British

entry into the E.E.C* they would be only

too likely to consider that autonomy in

external commercial relations was a major

step towards independence in other spheres

and to react strongly against it.

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/16.