TNAG-1025-FCO40-1275-Visit-by-Lord-Carrington--Secretary-of-State-for-Foreign-and-1981 — Page 49

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SECRET

SECRETARY OF STATE'S VISIT TO HONG KONG : 29 MARCH TO 1 APRIL 1981

BRIEF NO 1: STEERING BRIEF

OBJECTIVES

1.

a) To reassure the local community that HMG are fully aware

of their responsibilities to the Territory and intend to

fulfil them; this is particularly important at present

in view of the disquiet caused by the Nationality Bill;

b) To get a first-hand impression of Hong Kong's problems,

needs and achievements;

c) To discuss the Hong Kong angle to subjects to be raised

during the Secretary of State's visit to China.

BACKGROUND TO THE VISIT

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

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

influx of immigrants from China and refugees from Vietnam. That

visit, the subsequent announcement of a UK resettlement quota of

10,000 refugees and the swift reinforcement of the Hong Kong

Garrison, provided concrete evidence of HMG's continuing commitment

to Hong Kong. Nevertheless, a number of other developments in the

last 2 years the most vivid and recent being the Nationality Bill

(see paragraph 4 below) have given rise to fears that the UK is

deliberately distancing itself from Hong Kong and that local interests.

are being overlooked. This coincides with a period in which the

public see inroads into their personal prosperity from inflation

and other economic problems

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although so far Hong Kong has generally

weathered the recession well. The visit will provide a timely

opportunity publicly to re-confirm HMG's commitment and to compensate

for the intended visit last September which had to be cancelled.

SECRET

/PROGRAMME