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(xiii) Oil
The immediate problem appears to have been resolved.
(xiv) The Chinese "Representative"
The Minister agreed with the advice that we should continue to give no encouragement to the Chinese to pursue their proposal.
(xv) Chinese Immigration
The Minister had agreed in principle to the return of illegal immigrants. But until the outcome of the Tsui case was known it would be as well to suspend action.
(xvi)
The Walled City
The unstarred question by Lord Kennet for 11 June would mean a mini-debate in the Lords. This was an explosive issue in Hong Kong itself because of the risk of riots and of Chinese reactions to direct action on the Walled City. The Minister said that, in the House, he would like to say that he had taken advice from the Governor (and perhaps from the Ambassador in Peking); that there were risks attached to action; a frontal attack on the admittedly bad conditions might create problems worse than the conditions themselves; that there was, however, steady movement towards improvement; and that the debate itself was a timely reminder of the need not to overlook the problem.
Hong Kong & Indian Ocean Department
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