TNAG-0851-FCO40-1061-Future-of-Hong-Kong-New-Territories-leases-1979 — Page 16

布政司署

283

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GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT

LOWER ALBERT ROAD

HONG KONG

香港下亞厘畢道

本署檔號 OUR REF: CR L/M 341/79)

Никоно

* Your Ref.:

RICHISE

૧૩.

170-

WE Quantrill Esq

December, 1979

Willando J12.12

12/12

प्यार

T2M/W3/12

Hong Kong & General Department

FC O

Ball,

?

WALTER EASY'S PAPER ON THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG

es?

25

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When I wrote to Robin McLaren on 25 October (not copied to Peking) about Walter Easy's tendentious seminar paper arguing that Britain was preparing to hand back Hong Kong "within a few years", I said that I would look out for any signs of this thesis appearing in the local Chinese press.

2.

9

What seems to be a full version of the seminar paper has now appeared in "The 70's" (Qi-shi nien-dai). enclosing a copy of the Chinese text. I have not had time to study it in detail but it appears to be a fairly faithful translation of a tidied up version of the seminar paper which Robin McLaren sent with his letter of 15 October (also not copied to Peking). I note, however, that the translator, probably innocently, has actually strengthened the wording of Easy's argument about the intention to hand back Hong Kong. For instance, where Easy concludes that the British Government "has had a contingency policy committee concerned with British withdrawal .... " the translation says that Britain has a "policy committee concerned with the question of withdrawal omitting any reference to this being for contingency purposes.

It is odd to find this thesis appearing in "The which is a left-wing journal associated with the Communist propaganda machine. I notice that the introductory note says that they hope the article will lead to a deeper examination of the question. I think their reason for publishing the article must be a desire to appear more "with it" in order to attract a readership which has been gravitating towards the more outspoken pro-Communist journals like Zeng-ming rather than because they actually believe the thesis it argues.

3. 70's"

сс

T JB George Esq PEKING

(D C Wilson)

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