CONFIDRUFRIAL,
1
Is the future of Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and the New Territories
entirely bound up together?
is the Sub-Committee will be aware from their briefing in Hong Kong, long Kong Island was ceded in perpetuity to Britain by the Treaty of Nanking in 182; and the Kowloon peninsula and Stonecutters Island ceded in perpetuity by the First Convention of Peking in 1860. The New Territories (including New Kowloon) were leased to Britain by the Second Convention of Peking in 1898 for a 99 year term.
The Chinese Government have stated publicly that they regard all three Treaties as unequal and that Hong Kong is part of Chinese territory.
(Sidelined)
They
It is impossible at this stage to forecast the likely attitudes to Hong Kong of Chinese Governments in the future. have told us privately that they are satisfied with the present status quo and that the problem of Hong Kong is for a future Ceneration to solve. HG have no doubt as to the legal validity of the three Treaties but clearly the future of Hong Kong is dependent upon the continuing goodwill of China. The logic of the present Chinese Government's position seems to point towards their
regarding the future of the three areas being indivisible; but it is impossible to say whether all successive Chinese Government's
will take the same view.
Are relations with the People's Republic of China likely to remain
stable?
Yes.
In particular HMG see no reason why Hong Kong should become an issue between the two Governments.
(Bidelined)
Attitudes in China towards Hong Kong have in the past caused difficulties in our relations with the People's Republic.
At present, however, the position is particularly satisfactory and there are no
A
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.