香港總督府
SECRET
GOVERNMENT HOUSE
HONG KONG
8 July 1980
Der Reitin,
MEETING WITH LIAO CHENGZHI:
1.
LEASES
You will have seen from David Wilson's letter of 5 June that Liao Chengzhi has been here for nearly a month, convalescing from his heart operation in the United States. He originally made it clear that he wanted to keep to himself and we played it accordingly.
2. More recently, however, Liao, who is due to leave on 15 June, sent a message to say that his health was much improved and that he would welcome an opportunity to thank me for the way in which he had been looked after here. We were also told he was worried that, if he called on me at Government House, the fact of his presence in Hong Kong might become known. I therefore visited Liao in his guest house.
3. It was not clear to me precisely how much power Liao wields, or is likely to wield. He has told people who have seen him here that he expects to be resuming his official duties, including by implication both Overseas Chinese and Hong Kong affairs, at the beginning of August. However I called with an open mind as to whether it was worth discussing anything of substance. However the line he took on arrangements for NCNA and on immigration, sounded as if he saw himself as returning to a position of power and influence. I therefore decided to mention land leases since he had been present at my interview with Deng in Peking and it would have been odd to omit it from the general tour d'horizon that Liao apparently wanted.
/ 4.
RJT McLaren Esq Far Eastern Department FCO
SECRET
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.