TNAG-1038-FCO40-1288-Future-of-Hong-Kong-1981 — Page 137

POREIGN

h

Sir Yue-Kong Pao C.B.E.. LL.D.. J.P.

HK GD

Po dafo reply Pasma sts

WORLD-WIDE SHIPPING GROUP

20/21ST FLOORS, PRINCE'S BLDG. HONG KONG

TEL: H-242111

10 - HKL 23 APR 1981

23/4

16th April, 1981.

The Rt. Hon. The Lord Carrington, KCMG,

Secretary of State for Foreign &

Commonwealth Affairs

MC

HKK оHoli

Foreign & Commonwealth Office

London SW1A 2AL

ENGLAND

Dear Peter,

No

XA

REGISTRY Action Taken

AWB/S

198B

It has been over two weeks since I had the pleasure of seeing you in Hong Kong and I trust you had a very successful trip to China and Japan.

See 980)

I am now pleased to send you for your interest a tear- sheet from the 28th March, 1981 issue of Beijing's Renmin Ribao ("The People's Daily") which carries a poem entitled "Hong Kong" written by Ai Qing, the state-recognized poet. The last few lines of the poem which may have significant meanings read as follows when freely translated:

You are the main artery of entry and exit the Motherland;

You are the market place where goods are fre exchanged;

You are the conveyor belt, bringing goodwill and friendship;

You are the bridge that reaches towards the four seas and the five Continents;

For so many years you have served the Motherland, creating for her

Sources of inestimable wealth.

I am arranging for a translation of the full text and will send this to you when completed.

What strikes me as interesting is that while the poem was composed on 25th August, 1980 and revised on 21st February, 1981 (according to a footnote of the poem), it was not published until 28th March, just before your departure from Hong Kong for Beijing.

Cont'd. 2/-

(ICRA)

96A