TNAG-0742-FCO40-946-Relations-between-China-and-Hong-Kong-1978 — Page 10

GRE 840

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FM HONG KONG 1509552

CONFIDENTIAL

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DESKBY 1510337

TO IMMEDIATE F.C.0 TELNO.1182 OF 15 SEPTEMBER 78, See (19)

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING.

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139

RELATIONS BETWEEN HONG KONG AND CHINA.

1. YOUR DEPARTMENT HAS HAD REPORTS RECENTLY OF A NUMBER OF

SIGNIFICANT DEVOPMENTS IN THE PRACTICAL AND SYDOLIC /FOLITICAL

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HONG KONG AND CHINA, (SUMMARY IN M. J.F.T). YESTERDAY NONA ASKED THE ACTING POLITICAL ADVISER WHETHER I WOULD ACCEPT AN INVITATION TO THE CHINESE NATIONAL DAY RECEPTION ON 30. SEPTEMBER HOSTED BY WANG KUANG THE DIRECTOR. THEY VOLUNTEERD TO OBSERVE THE STANDARD PROTOCOL FOR NATIONAL DAY RECEPTIONS HERS LE AGAINST THE BACKGROUND OF THE UNION JACK AND THE CHINESE FLAT, THE DIRECTOR OF NCNA KOULD PROPOSE A ONE SENTENCE TOAST TO THE QUEEN AND I WOULD TOAST (I PRESUME) THE CHAIRMAN OF THE NATIONAL

PEOPLE'S CONGRESS.

2. I DO NOT BELIEVE THE CHINESE WOULD HAVE MADE THIS APPROACH

THROUGH THIS OFFICIAL POLITICAL CHANNEL EXCEPT ON INSTRUCTIONS, AND UNLESS THEY EXPECTED ACCEPTANCE. THEIR OFFER TO TOAST THE QUEEN, IN TERRITORY OVER WHICH CHINA CLAIMS SOVEREIGNTY, IS A .

FOR SIGNIFICANT CONCESSION TO THE REALITY OF THE STATUS QUO.

ME TO ACCEPT WOULD ALSO BE A PUBLIC (AND TO THEM VALUABLE) ACCEPTANCE OF THE PRACTICAL, THOUGH UNRECOGNISED, POSITION OF

THE DIRECTOR OF NCNA, AND A CONSIDERABLE BOOST TO THEIR UNITED FRONT ACTIVITIES.

3. I STILL ATTACH IMPORTANCE TO HOLDING THE LINE ON OFFICIAL

REPRESENTATION BECAUSE:

.

A) IT IS A CARD TO PLAY ONLY IN EXCHANGE FOR SOMETHING

OF SUBSTANCE:

(B) WITHOUT SOMETHING SUBSTANTIAL IN EXCHANGE IT WOULD SHAKE

CONFIDENCE:

C)

IT COULD PRODUCE POTENTIALLY SERIOUS PRACTICAL DIFFICULTIES

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