TNAG-1167-FCO40-1447-Future-of-Hong-Kong-1982 — Page 98

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FM PEXING 190813Z JAN 82

TO PRIORITY FCO

TELEGRAM NUMBER 44 OF 19 JANUARY

INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG (PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR)

FUTURE OF HONG KONG

1. WE HAVE SPOKEN TO REUTERS ABOUT THEIR REPORT IN THE SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST OF 16 JANUARY OF AN INTERVIEW WITH A SENIOR

OFFICIAL WHO DECLINED TO BE NAMED''. REUTERS HAVE TOLD US IN STRICT CONFIDENCE (PLEASE PROTECT) THAT THE OFFICIAL WAS ZHONG XIDONG, VICE MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS RESPONSIBLE FOR INFORMATION DEPARTMENT. OTHER REPORTERS WERE PRESENT AT THE INTERVIEW, WHICH COVERED A NUMBER OF MATTERS AS WELL AS HONG KONG. 2. REPORTERS ASKED ZHONG WHETHER THE SOLUTION TO THE HONG KONG PROBLEM MIGHT INVOLVE A TREATY OF FRIENDSHIP BETWEEN BRITAIN AND CHINA (A QUESTION ALSO PUT TO THE LPS HERE BY BONAVIA ON 6 JANUARY). ZHONG REPLIED WE ARE DISCUSSING THIS QUESTION. WHEN THE TIME COMES WE WILL MAKE PROPOSALS TO SOLVE THIS QUESTION THROUGH CONSULTATION.

3. ZHONG THEN REITERATED ASSURANCES TO FOREIGN INVESTORS IN HONG KONG ALONG FAMILIAR LINES. ''THE QUESTION WILL BE CONSIDERED VERY CAREFULLY AND AN APPROPRIATE SOLUTION WILL BE FOUND. THERE ARE FIFTEEN YEARS TO GO. TIME IS RUNNING OUT. BUT WE WILL NOT WAIT UNTIL THE 15 YEARS ARE UP TO MAKE OUR PROPOSALS. IN THE MEANTIME NEIGHER SIDE SHOULD DO ANYTHING TO JEOPARDISE HONG KONG'S STATUS AS A FREE PORT AND AN INTERNATIONAL COMMERCIAL AND TRADING CENTRE.''

4. ZHONG WAS THEN ASKED TO COMPARE THE HONG KONG AND TAIWAN PROBLEMS. HE REPLIED: ''THE TAIWAN PROBLEM HAS ALREADY BEEN

SOLVED LEGALLY. IT IS INTERNATIONALLY AGREED THAT IT IS A

CHINESE PROVINCE. BUT THE HONG KONG QUESTION HAS NOT BEEN LEGALLY SOLVED. CHINA IS READY TO NEGOTIATE WITH BRITAIN AT AN APPROPRIATE TIME TO RESOLVE THIS QUESTION''.

SECRET

/COMMENT

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