TNAG-0743-FCO40-947-Relations-between-China-and-Hong-Kong-1978 — Page 172

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IMMEDIATE

CONFIDENTIAL

HkKoo0/1.

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DESKBY 17010OZ

CYPHER CAT A

FM F C O 161806Z

CONFIDENTIAL

DESKBY 17010OZ

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG TELNO 778 OF 16 OCTOBER

INFO PRIORITY PEKING.

YOUR TELNO 1200: VISIT OF HUANG HUA.

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1. WE AGREE THAT POLITICAL ADVISER SHOULD SPEAK AS PROPOSED ON

IMMIGRATION. HE COULD ADD, IF NECESSARY, SUNG'S ASSURANCE IN THE LAST SENTENCE OF PARAGRAPH 1 OF MY TELNO 623.

2. WE ALSO AGREE THAT HE SHOULD REFER TO THE ISSUE OF CHINESE

REPRESENTATION. HOWEVER, IT WOULD BE MORE ACCURATE FOR HIM TO TAKE

THE FOLLOWING LINE:-

THE CHINESE DID NOT RAISE THE QUESTION OF OFFICIAL REPRESENTATION

IN ANY MINISTERIAL CONVERSATIONS. (THIS IS THE IMPORTANT POINT). HOWEVER, AT THE TAIL END OF A CONVERSATION AT OFFICIAL LEVEL, AND IN THE SPECIFIC CONTEXT OF MOVES TO IMPROVE FURTHER CO-OPERATION

AND GOODWILL, THE CHINESE SAID THAT THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

WAS THINKING OF SUGGESTING THAT THE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE NCNA

MIGHT CARRY OUT SOME OF THE DUTIES WHICH THEY HAD PREVIOUSLY REQUESTED FOR A DIPLOMATIC REPRESENTATIVE. THEY ACKNOWLEDGED THAT

THE BRITISH SIDE HAD EARLIER MADE CLEAR WHAT DIFFICULTIES THE

PROPOSAL FOR A REPRESENTATIVE WOULD CREATE. THEY DID NOT SPECIFY

WHAT DUTIES THEY HAD IN MIND, AND MADE IT CLEAR THAT THEY WERE NOT

RAISING THE POINT FORMALLY AT THIS STAGE. THE PROPOSAL WAS NOT

PURSUED. OFFICIALS STRESSED THE IMPORTANCE OF HONG KONG TO THE.

CONFIDENTIAL

/ECONOMY