TNAG-0851-FCO40-1061-Future-of-Hong-Kong-New-Territories-leases-1979 — Page 125

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:PROHONGA ID LONDON FIVE:

5535/79 (ADD }

YCX023 26-1127 YHE510

APPARENTLY IT IS THE VIEW OF THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT THAT SUCH GENERAL ASSURANCES, OVER A PERIOD OF TIME WHICH REMAINS UNSPECIFIED, ARE SUFFICIENTLY SATISFACTORY AND THAT THE TIME IS NOT YET RIPE+ TO MENTION PUBLICLY THE DESIRABILITY OF NEGOTIATIONS WHICH WILL LEAD TO A NEW WRITTEN AGREEMENT REPLACING THE VARIOUS TREATIES WHICH FOUNDED HONGKONG AND WHICH LEASED FROM CHINA THE NEW TERRITORIES AND THE OUTER ISLANDS FOR A PERIOD. OF 99 YEARS, IS DUE TO END IN 1997 -- TREATIES WHICH HAVE TODAY BEEN INVALIDATED BY PEKING'S CONSISTENT DENUNCIATIONS OF THEM AS +UNEQUAL+ AGREEMENTS IMPOSED ON CHINA DURING THE COLONIALIST PERIOD.

WHICH

IT DOES NOT APPEAR TO HAVE OCCURRED TO THOSE WHO ADVISE YOU ON THIS MATTER THAT THE VARIOUS ASSURANCES OFFER TO INVESTORS IN HONGKONG SHOULD BE READ AS SIGNALS FROM PEKING THAT IT RECOGNISES THAT UNCERTAINTY ABOUT THE FUTURE IS ALREADY BEGINNING TO IMPINGE ON * THE PROSPERITY OF HONGKONG AND THAT THUS THE TIME IS NOW RIPE TO BEGIN THE PROCESS OF NEGOTIATING A SETTLEMENT ACCEPTABLE TO ALL PARTIES. THOSE AMONG YOUR ADVISERS WHO ARGUE THAT LONDON SHOULD WAIT FOR THE CHINESE TO RAISE THE MATTER ARE APPARENTLY LACKING IN THE MOST RUDIMENTARY KNOWLEDGE OF CHINESE PSYCHOLOGY. IT IS FOR LONDON TO. RAISE THE MATTER OFFICIALLY AS A +SUITOR TO THE +MIDDLE KINGDOM, + ASKING THOSE WHO TODAY ENJOY THE MANDATE OF HEAVEN IN PEKING TO ACCORD BENEVOLENT FAVOURS TO +OUTER BARBARIANS.+ IT IS NOT FOR CHINA TO MAKE PUBLIC ADMISSION THAT IT IS WILLING TO CONTINUE TO FORFEIT ITS SOVEREIGNTY OVER AN INTEGRAL PART OF ITS TERRITORY, HOWEVER GREAT ITS HOPES THAT HONGKONG WILL PLAY A VITAL ROLE IN CHINA'S FOUR MODERNISATION, MORE==

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1614: PROHONGAID LONDON SIX:

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IN PAST YEARS, IT HAS BEEN ACCEPTED THAT SOME CLARIFICATION OF HONGKONG'S FUTURE WOULD BE NEEDED BY THE MID-1930S. HOWEVER, IT IS NOW VERY 03VIOUS THAT A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING MUST BE REACHED WITHIN.

- THAT IS BEFORE THE RETIREMENT OF THE THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS PRESENT GOVERNOR. THOSE WHO ARGUE THAT THE QUESTION MARK OVER HONGKONG'S FUTURE WHICH PERSISTS IN THE MINDS OF LOCAL AND FOREIGN INVESTORS, DESPITE PEKING'S RECENT ASSURANCES, IS HAVING NO DISCERNIBLE IMPACT ON THE ECONOMY, ARE GIVING YOU DANGEROUSLY MISTAKEN ADVICE.

IN THE PUBLIC SPHERE, HONGKONG IS CONTEMPLATING MULTI-MILLION. DOLLAR SCHEMES, SUCH AS THE RECLAMATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE - WHICH COULD POSSIBLY NORTHERN COAST OF THE ISLAND OF LANTAU PROVIDE THE SITE OF A SECOND AIRPORT NEEDED BY THE MID-1930S. THIS PROJECT SIMPLY CANNOT BE UNDERTAKEN WITHOUT BETTER ASSURANCES THAN EXIST AT PRESENT (INDEED THOSE WHO REFUSE TO ACCEPT THIS FACT OF LIFE ARE ALREADY BEGINNING TO ARGUE THAT HONGKONG" SHOULD OPT OUT OF THE MASS TOURIST MARKET AND MAKE DO WITH ONE AIRPORT, A DISTURBINGLY UNCHARACTERISTIC ANTI-GROWTH ATTITUDE FOR ANYONE IN HONGKONG TO ADOPT, AND ONE COMPLETELY AT VARIANCE WITH THE HOPES OF THE LOCAL TOURIST INDUSTRY TO BENEFIT FROM THE GROWING NUMBERS OF VISITORS TO CHINA).

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