TNAG-0122-FCO40-158-Future-of-Hong-Kong-1968 — Page 28

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from Hong Kong in the interests of intensifying the

The foresent indications confrontation with the Hong Kong Government while the-

that the Cultural Revolution is being wound up and the clear evidence of second group would be disposéd to control the level of abandonment of a policy of violence in Hong Kong Suggest however that the confrontation in order to avoid disrupting the Colony to

Second group is in the ascendant at least" for the present. They would be an extent which would damage China's economie interests.

disposed to concentrate on a

struggle" in order to avoid In the present state of confusion in China it is by no

disrupting the Colony to an extent which world damage china's means certain that the second group would prevail.

economic interests.

longer term

Soviet

jibes about China's tolerance of foreign colonial possessions_

on its territory will not be helpful to them (although it

must be recognised that anything Russia says today is

automatically unacceptable to the Chinese).

E. CHINESE ATTITUDE AND INTENTIONS TOWARDS HONG KONG

General Principles

37. The Chinese regard Hong Kong and the New Territories as

part of China. It is doubtful whether they see any essential

difference between the status of the Crown Colony and the

leased territory. They consider that all the 19th century

treaties with the Great Powers were "unequal" and that the

present Chinese Government should not necessarily continue to

be bound by them. The most specific official statement about

the way in which the Chinese regard the treaties relating to

Hong Kong appeared in a People's Daily editorial of 8 March,

1963, which said that "with regard to the outstanding issues.

which are a legacy of the past we have always held that when

conditions are ripe (such questions) should be settled

peacefully through negotiations. Pending a settlement, the

status quo should be maintained. Within this category are

the questions of Hong Kong, Kowloon and Macao.

We must, of

/course,

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