What is this booklet?
May Sace
please? Mur
I prefer this to
He first 3 senter but it te mally Si D. Watson's
affei'r not mie!
MN
CONFIDENTIAL
Mr McCaffrey, News Dept.
CHINESE POLICY TOWARDS HONG KONG
1.
13)
P/D Rs16/9
I think you know that the BBC have been running a series of programmes about the recent booklet "Hong Kong: A Case to Answer". Your Department have tried to damp this down, but apparently the interest continues in the BBC, though nowhere else in the media.
2.
In their most recent interview with Mr Kidd, the Hong Kong Commissioner, the BBC took up the suggestion in the booklet, which has since been plugged by Mr James Sillars MP, that the reason why there was no
"democratisation" in Hong Kong was colonialist obstruction rather than opposition from the Chinese Government.
Mr Kidd apparently said that the reason why there could be no elected legislature in Hong Kong was its geo- political situation. He refused to speculate about the views of the Chinese Government. Apparently the BBC said that they were not satisfied and would ask the Foreign Office for a statement.
3.
I see no reason why we should give the BBC a full on the record exposé of Chinese policies and of the limits on constitutional development in Hong Kong. We have always avoided this in Parliament. Public discussion of constitutional changes can only complicate our relationship with the Chinese and affect confidence in Hong Kong.
4.
However, I see no reason why we should not say to the BBC unattributably for their background use, something on the following lines:-
Democratisation means elections. An elected legislature means (and has to mean if it is to have any reality) a transfer of power to a local Government.
This
is a step towards internal self-Government and independence. The Chinese Government have made it very clear both in the UN Committee of 24 and in private exchanges with us that they would not tolerate any steps towards independence for Hong Kong. They are content with the status quo. This is the difficulty. It is well understood in Hong Kong.
12 September 1974
CcMr Male
Mr Wilford Mr March
ми
Yes
A C Stuart
Hong Kong & Indian Ocean
Dept.
The booklet is really hally es.
n.
ruto.
Wilford the thaus steinat — of
af Cory of the booked as putine traial
and of my Covering sulmissiór attached. Grateful for the former's retum. I take
your point about the last paragraph,
CONFIDENTIAL
咖
! But it does not rule out a
Marketing cleated basislature. We could not however say so, hice it would be premative to debate that
option
Das 13/9
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