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SUMMARY RECORD OF DECISIONS AT A MEETING BETWEEN THE
GOVERNOR AND SIR E.. YOUDE AT GOVERNMENT HOUSE ON
6TH OCTOBER 1980
HE
CS
PA
SIR E. YOUDE
Immigration
Mr. Blaker had asked that Ministers should be consulted on the timing of Operation CHAMPION in the light of the fact that Parliament resumed on 27th October.
It was agreed that a telegram should be sent to the FCO outlining the present state of play and referring in particular to:
(a) the continuing high level of immigration; and (b) the meetings between both the S for S and HE and
Huang Hua. The telegram would recommend going ahead with CHAMPION on the dates proposed (even if Governor Xi were unable to see HE). It would provide an opportunity for FCO departments to submit to Ministers accordingly.
A second telegram should cover what the Embassy in Peking should say to the MFA. It would also make it clear that CHAMPION Would not deal with legal immigration although that problem remained serious. These telegrams would have to take account of anything said at the dinner with the NCNA that evening.
Visa Office
After discussing what Huang Hua had said to the PA at the airport on 3 October and likely Chinese objectives in asking for extensive privileges for the Visa Office, it was agreed that we should not take the initiative in saying anything further to the Chinese at this stage. The extent to which we were prepared to go in granting privileges had been made quite clear by Sir E. Youde in London. The ball was now in the Chinese court. If they decided to withdraw the staff of the Visa Office, we should not be too concerned.
Air Services Agreement
It was agreed that it was important to take into account Hong Kong's special relationship with China in dealing with air service matters. The political aspects of this problem were not always appreciated by the D of T. If the Chinese did not respond favourably in the near future to the suggestion of HKA
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