TNAG-0848-FCO40-1058-Future-of-Hong-Kong-New-Territories-leases-1979 — Page 36

SECRET

DSR 11C

so as to co-operate with that Government on the problems arising between them".

The Chargé d'Affaires replied that he thought Chinese representa-

There the

1

tion in Hong Kong could be beneficial and not the reverse.

matter apparently rested for a number of years.

{

The question was not opened again

10. Further approaches, 1971-1973 until early in 1971 when formal talks on the exchange of Ambassadors commenced in Peking and Chinese Ministers took the opportunity of the negotiations on normalisation to make their case for the appointment of an official representative in Hong Kong. From 1971 until June 1973 the Chinese pursued this question with greater vigour than any time before or since. Zhou Enlai repeated the request during a conversation with the British Chargé d'Affaires (Mr Denson) in February 1971. The question was then pursued by Zhang Wenjin (Chang Wen-chin), head of the Western European Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with Sir John Addis (March 1972); by Qiao Guanhua (Ch'iao Kuan-hua), a Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs, with Mr Royle, Parliamentary Under-Secretary (May 1972); and by Ji Pengfei (Chi P'eng-fei), Foreign Minister, and Premier Zhou Enlai with the Secretary of State, Sir Alec Douglas-Home (October-November 1972): In each instance, the Chinese received the reply that the British Government could not at present accede to the request, although throughout this period it was given long and careful consideration by officials and the Secretary of State informed Ji Pengfei that he would deliver a reply

in due course.

+

t

11.

The Secretary of State' gave his reply when Ji Pengfei visited London in 1973. During talks on 7 June, Ji began by re-stating the Chinese co-

}