SECRET
12.
5 -
Vice Premier Ji said that there were still 16
more years. The Lord Privy Seal pointed out that there were now only fifteen. Vice Premier Ji agreed that 1982 had now begun. This was an important question and the
Chinese were now thinking of studying the matter. It was
true that there were fifteen years more, but he did not
mean that a decision on Hong Kong should wait until then.
He could assure the UK side that in the future China would preserve the interests of existing industrialists and business circles. How they would go about it was a
matter which was soon to be put under study.
13.
The Lord Privy Seal said that it was indeed a
question which needed studying. Obviously decisions could not be reached today or tomorrow, but we needed to
start thinking about how to proceed. He was glad to hear that this question was in the Chinese mind. Vice Premier Ji said that domestically China had advo-
cated an open door policy. They had established Special
Economic Zones in Shenzhen and elsewhere. Relations
between Hong Kong and the mainland were developing well.
Investors should not worry. They would still be able to
make money in Hong Kong. China would not take measures
such as those taken in the early years of the Revolution,
when they had confiscated property. They would not
confiscate capitalists' assets in Hong Kong. In the
future the two sides could conduct talks on this matter
and exchange views.
SECRET
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