TNAG-1040-FCO40-1290-Future-of-Hong-Kong-1981 — Page 192

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香港下亞畢道

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SECRET

204

никофор

GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT

A

LOWER ALPERT R

HONG KONG

#FICE":

5 October,

aut

ROAD

مار

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보리,

R D Clift Esq

Hong Kong & General Department F CO

M. Mc Gradi

Mr. Williams J 12.

12.10

m.

munite £12,00

obs pl

Year

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MR LOUIS CHA OF MING BAO: DISCUSSIONS IN

PEKING ABOUT HONG KONG

妄

Mr Louis Cha, the Editor of Ming Bao, visited Peking in July where, amongst other things, he had an interview with Deng. Most of the detail of that was published in August (and, incidentally, was the first source of stories about an offer to Taiwan of "joint rule"). Louis Cha stayed away from Hong Kong for some time and it was only last week that I eventually had a chance to discuss with him in detail his visit.

2.

Louis Cha told me that, when the subject of Hong Kong came up with Deng, there were several other people. present. Deng therefore said that he should discuss the matter further with Liao Chengzhi.

3.

In a later private session with Liao Chengzhi, the latter spoke about Hong Kong as follows. China benefitted from Hong Kong; relations with the administration there were good; Deng saw the territory as an asset in terms of the Sino/British relationship. On the longer term future Liao said that they had studied what had been written in Ming Bao editorials (see e.g. the attached). They wished Hong Kong to go on being prosperous. But he could not go further than what had already been said by Deng. If China made a commitment they would have to follow exactly what they said. The days of making a commitment and then changing it were over. Because Hong Kong was related to other international issues such as Taiwan, the Soviet Union etc., nothing definite could yet be said about it. If, however, there were difficulties in Hong Kong, China would always do its best to help.

4.

Louis Cha told me that, besides discussing with Liao the line he had taken in his editorials, he had also said that it would be wrong to assume that Britain, particularly under a Labour government, would wish to retain Hong Kong. This had surprised Liao. He had also said that

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