TNAG-1168-FCO40-1448-Future-of-Hong-Kong-1982 — Page 113

BRUIT

LY MON

PERSONAL AND CONFIDENTIAL

BRITISH EMBASSY

PEKING

19 February 1982 il lif

ce

کاشان

(1) Mark Elliott Esq

(2)

Far Eastern Department FCO

AND

RJT McLaren Esq CMG Political Adviser HONG KONG

NJ

esta by of beseda nasta

Muute

pl cc (without attach!) to Mr Wye

for para. 3.

Enter (a new Visit file)

Aiar Mark

FUTURE OF HONG KONG:

1.

Blu I we

2/i5.

PROFESSOR XUE MOUHONG AND HIS POSSIBLE

VISIT TO BRITAIN AND HONG KONG

attached

I think you will be interested to have the enclosed copy of my minute of 17 February, recording conversations with Professor Xue Mouhong at the Embassy on 16 February, and in particular to see paragraph 4 of that minute.

2.

As you will also gather from the minute, we already have authority to invite Xue Mouhong to Britain as a Category 2 visitor, and we had thought that his visit would take place while he was on his way to the United States in December next. We had thought of his visit as a hybrid FCO/British Council exercise. But his remarks about Hong Kong clearly give his visit a new dimension. The fact that Xue has read the records of Mr Atkins' talks here shows how close he is to the Foreign Ministry and/or to Party policy-makers.

3.

Perhaps at this stage I should state something of what we know about Xue Mouhong's background, and our impressions of him (although the FCO may have some additional information). He is a native of Fujian, and was educated at a mission school. He is Professor of International Relations at Beida University, and at the Institute of International Relations. He edits the Institute's monthly review. He has not studied abroad, but took part as a young graduate in the Panmunjom negotiations. He speaks excellent English, seems very intelligent, and is prepared to speak in a quite forthright way in private conversation. age is unknown, but he gives the appearance of being quite a youthful man, although he must be approaching 50.

4.

His

The Ambassador has asked me to write to you to support the idea that we should invite Xue to visit Hong Kong (for a few days) and Britain (for up to 2-3 weeks, sharing the invitation between FCO and British Council) in October. If you and Robin McLaren have no objection to this, we should like to extend an

PERSONAL AND CONFIDENTIAL

/invitation