TNAG-0743-FCO40-947-Relations-between-China-and-Hong-Kong-1978 — Page 263

CONFIDENTIAL

137

316

IMMEDIATE

BY 631200Z

CIPHER/CAT, A

FM HONG KONG 031930Z

CONFIDENTIAL

DESKBY 031200Z

HKK oǝd!

*** REGISTRY NO. 5}

INDEX

No

1978

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

TRY

FOLLOWING FOR QUANTRILL, HONG KONG AND GENERAL DEPARTMENT, FROM POLITICAL ADVISER.

VISIT BY CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTER.

142

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, ALSO THE POINT: ABOUT THE GOVERNOR'S ATTENDANCE AT THE NATIONAL DAY CELEBRATION. HUANG HUA WILL KNOW HOW SIGNIFICANT THAT WAS.

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