TNAG-0941-FCO40-1160-Visit-by-Lord-Carrington--Secretary-of-State-for-Foreign-and-1980 — Page 18

SECRET

SECRETARY OF STATE'S VISIT TO HONG KONG: 26 29 SEPTEMBER

BRIEF NO.1:

STEERING BRIEF

OBJECTIVES

1. (a) To reassure the local community that HMG are fully aware of

their responsibilities towards the territory and intend to fulfil

them.

(b) To get a first-hand impression of the problem of immigration from

China and the measures being taken to control it, as well as the

continuing problem of refugees from Vietnam.

(c) To receive on-the-spot briefing on the Hong Kong angle to sub-

jects to be raised during the Secretary of State's visit to China.

BACKGROUND TO THE VISIT

2.

That

The Secretary of State last visited Hong Kong in June 1979 to see

for himself the problems created by the combined impact of the influx

from China and the alarming number of refugees from Vietnam.

visit, followed by the Prime Minister's agreement to accept 10,000

refugees for resettlement in the UK and the swift reinforcement of the

Hong Kong garrison to combat illegal immigration, provided concrete

evidence of the Government's commitment to Hong Kong. Nevertheless, a

number of other developments over the last 15 months (see paragraph 4

below) have given rise to fears that local interests are being over-

looked. The visit will come as a timely reassurance of HMG's continuing

commitment to Hong Kong.

PROGRAMME

3. There are separate programmes for the Secretary of State (Brief No.2)

and Lady Carrington (Brief No.3). Lord Carrington's programme falls into

two parts:

(a) Discussions: There will be opportunities to meet the Governor and

his senior officials, Unofficial Members of the Executive and Legis-

lative Councils and the Urban Council. There are personality notes

on these (Brief No.4).

SECRET

/(b)