TNAG-0616-FCO40-764-Policy-of-UK-on-status-of-Hong-Kong-1977 — Page 180

CONFIDENTIAL

27

C.$. 41A

A

布政司署

香港下群狐里道

*** OUR REF. TS 7/1162/46 V

來滿鐵號 YOUR REFL

RC Samuel Esq

Far Eastern Department

F CO

Dear Richard,

HONG KONG'S FUTURE

128

Grigal an 1XK026/548

SMAY No77

1 have heard at

GOVERNment seCRETARIAT

LOWER ALBERT ROAD

HONG KONG

28 April, 1977

ko. m. Milton

سموه

عبده

I suspect N. Call needs to be handled with qu care. Can we desas pls.

second and some comment from George Gale of the 'Daily Express' (who accompanied Mrs. Thatcher on her visit to China) which may be of interest to you.

?

Gale was surprised to find that Chinese officials in Poking did not shy away from questions about llong Kong. They did not volunteer much themselves although they indicated Chinese acceptance of the status quo. However, in answering his questions, Gale says that they quite definitely gave the impression that they understood some announcement had to be made, possibly in the early 1980s, about Hong Kong's future. Apparently they showed appreciation of the fact that long-term international investment in Hong Kong would make some decision necessary and seemed fully alive to the need for retaining this investment.

3.

Someone may wish to quiz George Gale about this. I am sending a copy of this letter to Nick Fenn in Peking since it is quite likely that file was at some time in touch with the Embassy and may have mentioned his impression there.

cc

Yours ever,

Alan McPopplewell

(A E Donald) I have discursed this with Me Milton (HK

1.

Dypt) who sees no need for engue to

der. David / approach we gale. I appe

N M Penn Esq (Peking)

To js.

J

2. The only a thactions of the idea in perad Born abre which I can find & in Mtgile's

artine in me Daily Expers ~ 19 Anit- while

CONFIDENTIAL

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