TNAG-1037-FCO40-1287-Future-of-Hong-Kong-1981 — Page 133

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CONFIDENTIAL

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Early

pproaches: 1955-58

4. In October 1955, Zhou Enlai raised the question of repre-

sentation over lunch with Sir Alexander Grantham, the Governor

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of Hong Kong, who was paying a private visit to Peking.

was followed in February 1956 by a formal request to the

British Chargé d'Affaires in Peking for an "Office of a

Commissioner for Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of

China' in Hong Kong. It was decided at the time to give no

definitive reply. In 1957, Zhou reverted to the subject

during visits by a Labour MP, Mr Warbey, and by the

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Parliamentary Under-Secretary at the Board of Trade, Mr Erroll

and in 1958 discussed it with Mr Harold Wilson.

5. In February 1958, the Secretary of State, Mr Selwyn Lloyd,

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formally turned down these requests at a meeting with the

Chinese Chargé d'Affaires, Huan Xiang.

Further Approaches:

1971-76

6. The matter was not raised again until early 1971 when the

Chinese took the opportunity of talks on the exchange of Ambassadors to make their case for an official representative. This was taken up on four further occasions before the visit of Foreign Minister Ji Pengfei to London in June 1973: (a) Zhou Enlai with Chargé d'Affaires, Mr Denson (Feb 1971); (b) Zhang Wenjin, Head of West European Department, MFA, with

Sir John Addis (March 1972);

(c) Qiao Guanhua, Deputy Foreign Minister, with Mr Royle,

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Parliamentary Under-Secretary (May 1972);

(d) Zhou Enlai and Ji Pengfei with Sir Alec Douglas-Home

In

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(October-November 1972).

each instance the Chinese were told that HMG could not at

present accede to the request.

7. During talks with the then Secretary of State in June 1973, Ji Pengfei re-stated the case for an official represent- Ative either of Guanenone Province or of the MFA, and cited

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