TNAG-0334-FCO40-370-Visits-of-Secretary-of-State-for-Foreign-and-Commonwealth-Af-1972 — Page 238

NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN

Registry No.

SECURITY CLASSIFICATION

"Top Secret:-

-Secret:

Confidential.

-Restricted. -Unelassified.

PRIVACY MARKING

..In Confidence

CONFIDENTIAL

DRAFT

BRIEF

Type 1 +

To:-

28/415

From

Telephone No. & Ext.

Brief No 4

Department

[Pink paper]

SECRETARY OF STATE'S VISIT TO HONG KONG

February, 1974

HONG KONG/CHINA RELATIONS AND THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG

DEFENSIVIE

FOTENSIVE POINTS,TO MAKE,

1.

The Chinese Government appear to be interested

in maintaining a good working relationship with

Hong Kong. Day-to-day problems have been dealt

with in a cooperative way and the border is generally

quiet. For our part we shall continue to work

for normal relations between Hong Kong and China.

This is very much to the benefit of both sides.

THE EXPIRY OF THE NEW TERRITORIES LEASE IN 1997

It is true that the lease over the New

2.

Territories expires in 1997. This is a very long

way ahead.

A great deal will have happened in the

area between now and 1997. It is simply not

possible for anyone to predict what the circumstances

will be at a point so far ahead in the future.

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