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5.
In short, we should at least be starting to think about this problem; and I would have thought that sooner or later we must take soundings of the Chinese. If we pretend to keep up the barrier for purely British or Hong Kong motives, this will not be consistent with our attempts to develop largish-scale exports in the form of package deals (jute, cotton, plants; possibly ships). The latter are therefore likely to suffer.
6. If on the other hand we allow it to be thought that our attitude derives from that of the Chinese do we not risk being in trouble with the Chinese unless we satisfy outselves that this is what they want? They may well be content to hide behind our skirts. But the real temperature of feeling between the Chinese and the Vietnamese is somewhat of an unknown quantity. If we allow the Vietnamese to think that we are excluding them from Hong Kong because of the Chinese they may hesitate to ask the Chinese directly, but they might well at least explore the position with them. If in fact there was no real Chinese opposition to our making something of an exception for Vietnam because of its geographical position and natural trade outlets, then might not the Chinese themselves think we had embarrassed them?
7. It has also frequently struck me that one of our motives for keeping down the size of the Vietnamese Trade Office in Hong Kong is that they might then have an excuse for escaping from the watchful eye of the Chinese in the Bank of China Building. If we are relying to some extent, unofficially, on the Chinese to keep an eye on the Trade Office, could they not also keep an eye on other Vietnamese activities? This would be constitutionally delicate, and I do not know how things are done in Hong Kong. Would the Chinese tjp the wink to our Security Services there if they saw something going on which they did not like? And would not the Vietnamese be very careful not to act as Russian tools, for fear of offending the Chinese?
8. But the last thing I want is a constant series of irritants in which we cause offence here either by rejecting applications, or by accepting them, after long delays. Ultimately, the Vietnamese would be bound to retaliate against us.
9. Barbara Luke is writing separately about statements by Communist colleagues that visas for Hong Kong can be obtained in their own capitals.
cc:
AM Simons Esq SEAD N M Fenn Esq Peking J A B Stewart Esq OBE Hong Kong & General Dept
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Robert Tesh
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