GR 265
¿CRET
DESKBY 2691897 PEKING
FM HONG KONG 2511252 MAY 79
SECRET
TO IMMEDIATE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
TELNO,649 OF 25 MAY,
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING.
FOLLOWING FOR CORTAZZI.
-M2LET IMMIGRATION FROM CHINA.
HKK 341.1
RECEIVED IN AAND
DESK
INDEX
30 MAY 1979
88
51
RY
Tukan
По
дълг
Sed 81
1. IN MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS IN MIPT I HAVE TAKEN ACCOUNT
BOTH OF THE POSSIBILITY THAT THE SECRETARY OF STATE MAY VISIT PEKING AT THE END OF JUNE AND OF THE PROPOSED FURTHER TALKS
WITH THE CHINESE ABOUT LEASES.
2.
3
I DO NOT THINK WE CAN AFFORD TO WAIT UNTIL AFTER THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S VISIT BEFORE ACTING. INEVITABLY THE CHINESE WOULD SAY AGAIN THAT THEY WERE ABOUT TO TAKE FURTHER STEPS AND WE WOULD HAVE TO WAIT AGAIN TO SEE WHETHER THIS WAS TRUE.
3. AS FOR THE LEASES QUESTION, I DO NOT THINK THAT WHAT WE
IF THEY ARE PROPOSING WILL NECESSARILY HAVE AN ADVERSE AFFECT, ARE NOT PREPARED TO SEE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR HONG KONG OF THE MASSIVE INCREASE IN POPULATION WE ARE NOW FACING, THEN WE ARE UNLIKELY TO BE ABLE TO HAVE USEFUL DISCUSSIONS ON OTHER MATTERS. IF WHAT WE ARE DOING ON IMMIGRATION NEVERTHELESS CAUSES THEM TO
WE REACT ADVERSELY TO OUR NEXT APPROACH ON LEASES, SO BE IT, WOULD HAVE TO POSTPONE ACTION, BUT I SHOULD EXPECT THEM TO COME ROUND TO THE IDEA OR SOMETHING SIMILAR SOONER OR LATER UNDER THE PRESSURE OF THEIR OWN ECONOMIC REQUIREMENTS.
SIMPLY
SUCH
A DELAY WOULD BE LESS DISRUPTIVE FOR HONG KONG THAN CONTINUING TO ACCEPT IMMIGRATION AT ITS PRESENT RATE OF WELL OVER QUARTER
OF A MILLION PER YEAR.
MACLEHOSE
7 X LES
NK & QD
FED
SEAD
MVD
MR CORAZZI
MR MURRAY
SECRET
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