TNAG-0943-FCO40-1162-Future-of-Hong-Kong-1980 — Page 218

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The Chinese Ambassador, Song Zhiguang (Sung Chih-kuang) referred

to Deng's assurances to Mr Heath in a conversation with Mr Youde on

28 June 1974. Song insisted that China had no intention of "creating two

governments" in Hong Kong, and said that a Chinese official representative

in Hong Kong would not be there to cause trouble for the administration.

Rather, a representative, would contribute to the improvement of relations

with Hong Kong, and a number of administrative questions such as those

of direct rail communication between Hong Kong and Guangzhou, a river ferry

service and air services could be solved to the advantage of Hong Kong.

At the end of a long session of talks in Peking on 5 May 1976 between

the Secretary of State, Mr Crosland, and the Chinese Foreign Minister,

Qiao Guanhua, the latter made a low-key reference to the continuing Chinese

wish to have an official representative in Hong Kong. Qiao recalled the

British Government's view that hitherto the time was not ripe, but wished

to raise it again. Mr Crosland replied that HMG's view had not changed

from that set out in the Aide Mémoire handed to Ji Pengfei in June 1973.

On 15 June 1976 in the course of lengthy and informal conversations

in Guangzhou between the Political Adviser in Hong Kong and Fu Fen, the

head of a department with responsibility for Hong Kong affairs in the

Guangzhou Foreign Affairs bureau, the latter raised the subject of

representation in Hong Kong. However, Fu seemed intent on seeking clarifi-

cation of the British view rather than in pressing the case.

The question has been allowed to rest for some considerable time.

This is no doubt at least partly because of Chinese recognition that NCNA

in Hong Kong gradually has become a representative office of the CPG in

/every

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