TNAG-1036-FCO40-1286-Future-of-Hong-Kong-1981 — Page 96

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series of treaties with the Imperial Chinese Government. In

our own legal view, the greater part of the Territory should

revert to China in 1997, which would of itself inhibit a

'normal' progression through self-government to independence.

But the attitude of post-Imperial Chinese Governments has in

any case ruled this out. Both the KMT and Communist

administrations have condemned the treaties ceding and

leasing Hong Kong as 'unequal', along with a number of agree-

ments forced on a weakened Imperial China by the Powers,

particularly Russia. This condemnation has not always

amounted to outright non-recognition of the Treaties.

It is

thus an over-simplification to say that China does not

recognise the Lease of the New Territories. But the present

Chinese Government has stated that Hong Kong as a whole is

Chinese territory, temporarily under British administration,

a situation which must be rectified 'when the time is ripe'.

4.

The Chinese Government are thus careful to give away

nothing on their legal position. But they have combined this

with recognition in practice that. they cannot at present

afford a change in the status of the Territory.

By far the

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