TNAG-0743-FCO40-947-Relations-between-China-and-Hong-Kong-1978 — Page 261

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ADVANCE COPY

M.Murray

TO IMMEDIATE F.C.0 TELNO.1161 OF 3 OCTOBER 78.

FOLLOWING FOR QUANTRILL, HONG KONG AND GENERAL DEPARTMENT,

FROM POLITICAL ADVISER.

VISIT BY CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTER.

1. YOUR LETTER OF 28 SEPTEMBER AND THE DRAFT BRIEFS ARRIVED THIS

AFTERNOON. I HAVE NOT CONSULTED THE GOVERNOR, BOTH BECAUSE OF THE TIME FACTOR AND BECAUSE THE BRIEF WAS OBVIOUSLY A ROUGH DRAFT.

2. YOU SHOULD ALREADY HAVE SEEN OUR COMMENTS ON THE IMMIGRATION ISSUE IN HONG KONG TELNO.1157. THAT ALSO SUGGESTS THAT THE SECRETARY OF STATE SHOULD REFER SPECIFICALLY TO WATER.

3. IN ADDITION, I HAVE THE FOLLOWING COMMENTS ON THE SHORTENED VERSION OF YOUR DRAFT:

(1)

PARAGRAPH 1, FIRST SENTENCE. SUGGEST RELATIONS ARE AT

PRESENT BETTER THAN AT ANY TIME SINCE THE COMMUNIST VICTORY IN CHINA**. THE POINT IS THAT RELATIONS ARE NOT ROUTINELY **EXCELLENT'' BUT HAVE DEVELOPED REMARKABLY IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS AND WITH INCREASING TEMPO RECENTLY,

(11) PARAGRAPH 4. MAKE THE POINT THAT THE CHINESE HAVE NOT

SERIOUSLY PRESSED THE REPRESENTATION ISSUE SINCE, I THINK, 1974, ALTHOUGH THEY RAISED IT MORE OR LESS FOR THE RECORD WITH MR CROSLAND IN 1976. I THINK YOU SHOULD KEEP IN A REFERENCE TO THE WAY THE N C N A ACTS VERY EFFECTIVELY AS AN UNOFFICIAL CHANNEL OF COMMUNICATION. ALSC THE POINT ABOUT THE GOVERNOR'S ATTENDANCE AT THE NATIONAL DAY CELEBRATION. HUANG HUA WILL KNOW HOW SIGNIFICANT THAT WAS.

(111) PARAGRAPH 9, FIRST SENTENCE. RE-PHRASE AS REPATRIATES

THOSE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS CAUGHT IN THE ACT OF ENTERING HONG KONG THE POLICY DOES NOT JUST APPLY TO THE LAND BORDER.

(IV) PARAGRAPH 10. AFTER HIGH LEVEL' ALTER TO ''AFTER

REPRESENTATIONS AT MINISTERIAL AND AMBASSADORIAL LEVEL IN LONDON AND PEKING THE RATE CAME DOWN SHARPLY IN DECEMBER 1973 AND CONTINUED TO FALL, REACHING A MANAGEABLE LEVEL THIS LEVEL (IN 1976) OF BETWEEN FIFTY AND SIXTY A DAY. GRADUALLY ROSE IN 1977 AND THEN MORE SHARPLY EARLY IN 1978''. RETAIN THE FINAL SENTENCE. YOU MAY ALSO WISH TO ADD SOME OF THE MORE TELLING OF THE RECENT FIGURES FROM OUR TELNO.1157.

4. I HOPE YOU WILL SEND US COPIES OF THE FINAL BRIEFS.

MACLEHOSE

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