TNAG-0850-FCO40-1060-Future-of-Hong-Kong-New-Territories-leases-1979 — Page 125

at 458

SECRET

SECRET

(AMENDED DISTRIBUTION 24 SEPTEMBER)

DESKBY HONG KONG 241106Z

FM PEKING 2409502 SEP 79

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELEGRAM NUMBER 826 OF 24 SEPT 2

AND TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

тор.сору

#KKQ

2 5 SEP 1979

DES INDEX

по

kis

NC. 51

REGISTRY

no 7259 8

Sep 194 197) (199)

MIPT: NEW TERRITORIES LEASES

194

(208) 225

See hier oyell 0401

Кто

الا 19

ON JULY 5, 1979 YOUR EXCELLENCY TOLD THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT OF 21

SOME LEGAL STEPS WHICH THE BRITISH SIDE INTENDED TO TAKE IN OCTOBER FOR SOLVING THE QUESTION OF LEASES FOR LAND IN THE NEW TERRITORIES. ON THE INSTRUCTIONS OF THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT HERE IS OUR REPLY:

THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT'S POSITION ON THE QUESTION OF HONG KONG IS CONSISTENT AND CLEAR, AND IT IS WELL KNOWN TO THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT. IN A CONVERSATION WITH SIR CRAWFORD MURRAY MACLEHOSE, THE GOVERNOR OF HONG KONG, INM MARCH, VICE-PREMIER DENG XIAOPING REAFFIRMED THAT HONG KONG IS PART OF CHINA'S TERRITORY AND ALSO POINTED OUT THAT, WHEN THE TIME COMES TO DEAL WITH THIS PROBLEM IN FUTURE, WE WOULD TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES IN HONG KONG AND WOULD NOT HARM THE INTERESTS OF THE INVESTORS. VICE-PREMIER DENG'S REMARKS WERE A STATEMENT OF THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT'S POSITION SEMICLN THEY VERE OF GREAT WEIGHT AND SHOULD SERVE TO STABILIZE THE CONFIDENCE OF THE INVESTORS. THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT CONSIDERS 43 UNNECESSARY AND INAPPROPRIATE THE LEGAL STEPS THAT THE BRITISH SIDE NOW PROPOSES TO TAKE REGARDING THE TERM OF ADMINISTRATION OF THE NEW TERRITORIES BY THE GOVERNOR OF HONG KONG AND THE QUESTION OF LEASES FOR LAND IN THE NEW TERRITORIES. THEREFORE, THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT URGES THE BRITISH SIDE TO DESIST FROM TAKING THE PROPOSED ACTIONS, FOR THE REPERCUSSIONS THEREFROM WOULD ADVERSELY AFFECT THE INTERESTS OF BOTH THE CHINESE AND

BRITISH SIDES.

2

SECRET

/ WE APPRECIATE