TNAG-0851-FCO40-1061-Future-of-Hong-Kong-New-Territories-leases-1979 — Page 116

GRS 786

CONFIDENTIAL

FM FCO 302053Z. OCTOBER 1979

TO IMMEDIATE PEKING

CONFIDENTIAL

HKKHS

2 NOV

1.11

DESK OFFICER

INDEX

ion Teren

252

0000 -

1

INFO

BONN, MOSCOW, PARIS, ROME,TOKYO, WASHINGTON, GOV HONG KONG

FROM FED

PERSONAL FOR CHARGE

VISIT OF PREMIER HUA CUOFENG

1.

THE VISIT HAS SO FAR GONE WELL, PARTICULARLY ON THE

CEREMONIAL SIDE, AND THE CHINESE SEEM HAPPY WITH HUA'S

RECEPTION. MEDIA COVERAGE HAS BEEN EXTENSIVE AND

LARGELY FAVOURABLE. AS WE EXPECTED THERE HAVE BEEN

REFERENCES TO DISSIDENTS AND TO THE WEI JINGSHENG AFFAIR,

PARTICULARLY FOLLOWING REPORTS OF HIS ALLEGED INVOLVEMENT

WITH REUTER'S CORRESPONDENT IN PEKING. BUT ON BALANCE THE

CHINESE SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED A GOOD IMPRESSION OF PUBLIC

INTEREST IN THE VISIT AND IN HUA PERSONALLY.

2. THE PROGRAMME HAS KEPT CLOSELY TO THE DETAILED ARRANGE-

MENTS MADE BEFORE HUA ARRIVED, INCLUDING THE ARRIVAL CEREMONY,

WITH THE GUARD OF HONOUR AND EXCHANGES OF SHORT WELCOMING

SPEECHES. THE CHINESE WERE SURPRISED (AS WE WERE) AND

PLEASED BY THE LION DANCE ORGANISED ON HIS ARRIVAL AT

CLARIDGES BY THE CHINESE COMMUNITY.

ON A NUMBER OF OTHER

PUBLIC OCCASIONS HE HAS BEEN GREETED WITH SPONTANEOUS APPLAUSE,

IN PARTICULAR AT COVENT GARDEN BOTH ON ARRIVAL AND WHEN HE

AND MR ST JOHN STEVAS JOINED THE BALLET COMPANY ON STAGE

AFTER THE FINAL CURTAIN.

3.

THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S LUNCH FOR HIM YESTERDAY ALSO WENT

VERY WELL. GIVEN THE SHORTAGE OF TIME FOR THE VARIOUS

ENGAGEMENTS, THE SUBSTANTIVE PROGRAMME ON THE FIRST DAY WAS

RATHER RUSHED BUT HUA WAS ABLE TO MEET A GOOD CROSS SECTION

OF PEOPLE, PARTICULARLY AT THE PRIME MINISTER'S RECEPTION AT

THE BANQUETING HOUSE.

CONFIDENTIAL

4. HUA'S