TNAG-0937-FCO40-1156-Visits-of-Sir-Murray-MacLehose--Governor-of-Hong-Kong--to-th-1980 — Page 241

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Discussions with Sir Murray

17. If the Minister agrees that this line of reasoning represents

a valid starting point, I suggest that I arrange for the Governor

to receive copies of this submission and of the note. The latter

could then form an agenda for discussion on 11 January, and some

time might be saved.

3 January 1980

1.

Дир

R D CLift

Hong Kong and General Department

I agree with the broad lines of this submission and that the Governor should see a copy of it before he meets Mr Blaker (but he should not see a copy of my own minute).

2.

Although Sir M MacLehose and the Hong Kong administration see no possibility of progress towards popular participation (Hong Kong telegram 1482 at C) I think the whole question should still be examined fundamentally, though still on the firm assumption that there can be no change in the nature of LEGCO and EXCO. Really the whole policy of immobility is based on the belief that China will object to any wider popular involvement in Government: and I think

we should ask ourselves whether this belief must be retained as

immutable doctrine. With one vital reservation, I would have thought

that the Chinese might not necessarily see any need to complain at a

two-tier, two-nature form of administration, relatively democratic at

district or neighbourhood level, but autocratic at all higher levels. (An analogy from Vietnam: There is an old Vietnamese saying, variously translatable, on the lines of "Even the Emperor bows at the village

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gate".