TNAG-1041-FCO40-1291-Future-of-Hong-Kong-1981 — Page 71

PP HONG KONG

GRS 380

SECRET

FM FCO 041630Z DEC 81

SECRET

39803 2

•

ник охо

F 'དྷསྶ༩མ, རསྶཨཡཀ

RECOVED IN REGAIRT NO. 51

7 DEC 1981

DESK OPHO

INDEX

whaling

nero Taken

Pasi 4/12

209

TO PRIORITY HONG KONG

TELEGRAM NUMBER 925 OF 4 DEC

AND TO PRIORITY PEKING (PERSONAL FOR AMBASSADOR)

PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR AND POLITICAL ADVISER FROM CLIFT

MIPT

see (258)

FOLLOWING 4 WORDS UNDERLINED: LINE WITH CHINESE LEADERS

1. RECALL LORD CARRINGTON'S DISCUSSION WITH CHINESE LEADERS IN

APRIL. GLAD RELATIONS OVER HONG KONG ARE SO GOOD. GRATEFUL FOR

CHINESE ASSURANCES. VALUE PRACTICAL COOPERATION WITH GUANGDONG.

2. AS LORD CARRINGTON EXPLAINED THERE IS A LEGAL PROBLEM OVER

1997, PARTICULARLY OVER LENGTH OF LAND LEASES IN THE NEW

TERRITORIES. THIS IS SUBJECT TO GROWING DISCUSSION IN HONG KONG

AND COULD AFFECT CONFIDENCE. COMMON INTEREST IN

BOLSTERING CONFIDENCE.

DOING THIS.

GRATEFUL FOR CHINESE VIEWS ON WAYS OF

3. (PROVIDED THE PRIME MINISTER'S VISIT HAS BEEN AGREED).

MRS THATCHER, WHO DISCUSSED HONG KONG IN GENERAL TERMS WITH HUA

GUOFENG IN 1979, WILL WANT TO FOLLOW-UP WHEN SHE VISITS, AND WILL

CERTAINLY HOPE TO MAKE PROGRESS.

4. (IF CHINESE REPEAT ASSURANCES) WE ACCEPT THESE. PROBLEM IS

THAT PUBLIC OPINION AND INVESTORS MAY NOT. CONFIDENCE COULD SLIP.

5. (IF CHINESE ASK FOR OUR SPECIFIC VIEWS) HERE TO LEARN

RATHER THAN GO INTO DETAIL. OF COURSE WE HAVE BEEN THINKING BUT

NEED TO KNOW CHINESE IDEAS. EXCHANGE OF VIEWS BETWEEN OFFICIALS

WOULD BE USEFUL. SHOULD AIM TO RECOMMEND MEASURES TO MAINTAIN

CONFIDENCE OF INVESTORS IN HONG KONG ECONOMY AND ENSURE CONTINUING

STABILITY. SHOULD COVER QUESTION OF LAND LEASES.

FOLLOWING 6 WORDS UNDERLINED: LINE WITH PRESS IN HONG KONG 5. HONG KONG NATURALLY CAME UP IN OUR BILATERAL DISCUSSIONS.

See (261)

263

264

265

266

267

268

1

SECRET

/WE AGREED