TNAG-1166-FCO40-1446-Future-of-Hong-Kong-1982 — Page 15

R J T McLaren Esu CMG

TA

ONG KONG

SECRET

Dear Robin

FUTURE OF HONG KONG AFF REPORT

buch to

wh

15/2

British Ebassy PEKING

2 February 1983

HKK 040/1

311

theclied

we noticed an AFF report in the SCMP of 20 January, in a number of respects more interesting than Reuters enclose a copy for your ease of reference

2.

AFF told me that the unnamed officials Xidong, but not on the same occasion as that reported Reuters. Zhong seems to be in the process of Living to all the resident foreign journalists the British Germans took the first shirt, and the French and Italians next.

3.

According to AFP Chour seid exactly what wo in the SCMP article, most interestingly that ch resolve the problem of Hong Kong's future so as continued British presence while not jeopardiging own sovereignty

4. I found paragraph 4 of the article rather ouinous gusting as it does that Ching would make up its mind whet to

bout Hong Kong before magotiating the matter. The ATP correspondent confirmed that that wed indeed the way Zhong had said it, but he seemed to interpret the statement as no more

than a typical Chinese oxyget us hope bu is right.

5. It is of some interest that Zhong dong

of many years standing who was unnoticed by dolot journalists bera until e press conference Last suddenly have burst into song about Hong Kong to judge what weight to give his statements,

The

seemed confident that Zhong had not strayed from what

SECRE

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