TNAG-1030-FCO40-1280-Proposed-visit-by-Humphrey-Atkins--Lord-Privy-Seal--to-Hong--1981 — Page 185

SECRET

LORD PRIVY SEAL'S VISIT TO HONG KONG:

JANUARY 1982

DSR 11C

BRIEF NO 1: STEERING BRIEF

OBJECTIVES

1.

a)

b)

c)

d)

To reassure the local community that HMG intend to fulfil their responsibilities to the Territory;

To get a first-hand impression of Hong Kong;

To discuss the Hong Kong angle to subjects to be raised during the Lord Privy Seal's visit tọ China; To support British commercial interests in the light

of Mr Rees' visit in December 1981.

BACKGROUND TO THE VISIT

2.

The Secretary of State visited Hong Kong in March 1981.

In 1979, the announcement of a UK resettlement quota of

10,000 Vietnamese refugees in Hong Kong and the swift reinforcement of the Hong Kong Garrison, provided concrete evidence of HMG's continuing commitment to Hong Kong.

However, a number of other developments in the last two

years (eg the Nationality Act) 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 public concern over the future of

Hong Kong is growing.

PROGRAMME

3. There are separate programmes for the Lord Privy Seal

(Brief No 2) and Mrs Atkins (Brief No 3). The Lord Privy

Seal's programme falls into two parts:

חרזזיזו

/a) Discussions