CURI LELNIKAD
3
5.
"(1) If the Chinese continue to assert
their view of the status of Hong Kong, they should be in no doubt that we may be forced to assert our view of Hong Kong's status in reply.
(2)
We shall continue to act in Hong Kong and over the affairs of Hong Kong in accordance with our view of Hong Kong's status and our responsibility for its administration."
Another problem has been that we have had doubts about the wisdom of retaining sovereignty over Hong Kong. This has been further compli- cated by the question of whether "sovereignty" is the correct term to use with regard to the New Territories since these were acquired by lease. After the Second World War, both Mr Churchill and Mr Attlee made it clear that they did not wish to give up Hong Kong and in August 1945, with the defeat of Japan, the newly re-established British authorities in Hong Kong were instructed to restore "British sovereignty". over the Colony. Subsequently, Foreign Office posts were advised to take the line that, while British possession of Hong Kong needed "no apology or justification" the question of its status should be mentioned as little as possible. This attitude was again reflected in a guidance telegram to Foreign Office posts in July 1964 which advised that "the question of sovereignty over the leased territories of Hong Kong] is not entirely free from doubt ..... It is not considered advisable The to make a wholesale denial of the Chinese claim to sovereignty". question of the status of Hong Kong was revived in 1972 when the question of answering Huang Hua's letter of 8 March was under consideration One reason why Sir Colin Crowe's eventual reply did not contain a straightforward assertion of sovereignty was that there were doubts on this score.
Youro Ever,
Alan.
A R Paul
Far Eastern Department
CONFIDENTIAL
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