TNAG-1171-FCO40-1452-Future-of-Hong-Kong-1982 — Page 118

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THAT SOVEREIGNTY WOULD HAVE TO BE CONCEDED.

WHAT MATTERED TO

THE HONG KONG CHINESE WAS THE PRACTICAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR

ADMINISTRATION. SIR M MACLEHOSE AND SIR E YOUDE STRESSED THAT IT

WOULD BE TOTALLY IMPRACTICABLE TO MAKE THE WISHES OF THE HONG

KONG PEOPLE PARAMOUNT IN DECIDING THE FUTURE. SIR E YOUDE SAID

THAT, JUDGING BY THE REACTION IN THE BRITISH PARLIAMENT AND IN

THE PRESS TO THE RETURN OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS TO CHINA, THERE

SHOULD BE NO SERIOUS OPPOSITION TO THE IDEA OF SOVEREIGNTY BEING

CONCEDED TO A COMMUNIST COUNTRY: CHINA WAS SEEN AS DIFFERENT FROM

THE SOVIET UNION.

5. THE MEETING CONSIDERED THE RUN-UP TO THE PRIME MINISTER'S

VISIT IN SEPTEMBER TO HONG KONG AND CHINA. THE SECRETARY OF STATE

SAID THAT IT WOULD BE WRONG TO PUT THE HONG KONG ISSUE TO THE

PRIME MINISTER TOO EARLY. IT WAS ALSO IMPORTANT TO CONSIDER

POSSIBLE REACTIONS IN PARLIAMENT. HE WOULD TRY TO ASSESS THESE.

SIR M MACLEHOSE POINTED OUT THAT AN AGREEMENT WITH CHINA ON

HONG KONG COULD BE SEEN NOT JUST AS A DEAL GIVING UP SOVEREIGNTY

IN EXCHANGE FOR BRITISH ADMINISTRATION BUT AS A MAJOR STEP FORWARD

IN OUR RELATIONS WITH CHINA THROUGH COOPERATION WHICH WOULD

MAINTAIN THE PROSPERITY OF HONG KONG FOR THE BENEFIT OF BOTH THE

UK AND CHINA AND OPEN UP COMMERCIAL PROSPECTS IN THE AREA. THE

SECRETARY OF STATE COMMENTED THAT THAT WAS A STRONG POINT.

6. SIR M MACLEHOSE AND SIR E YOUDE RAISED THE QUESTION OF THE

LINE WHICH MIGHT BE TAKEN IN BRIEFING HONG KONG BUSINESSMEN AND

OTHER VISITORS TO PEKING WHO WOULD CERTAINLY DISCUSS THE FUTURE

WITH CHINESE LEADERS. THERE WOULD OBVIOUSLY BE A PROBLEM IN

ADVISING THEM TO SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THE QUESTION OF SOVEREIGNTY

BEFORE THIS HAD BEEN CONSIDERED BY THE CABINET. ON THE OTHER

HAND, THEY WOULD TALK IN ANY CASE AND IT WAS IMPORTANT THAT THEY

SHOULD SPEAK SENSIBLY. SIR M MACLEHOSE SUGGESTED THAT THEY

MIGHT BE ADVISED TO STATE THEIR INTEREST AS LEADING BUSINESSMEN

IN THE CONTINUITY OF ADMINISTRATION AND TO SUGGEST, WITHOUT

COMMITMENT, THAT IN (NEXT WORD UNDERLINED) THEIR VIEW THE BRITISH

GOVERNMENT WOULD BE PREPARED TO CONSIDER THE QUESTION OF

SOVEREIGNTY PROVIDED THAT A BRITISH ADMINISTRATION COULD BE

ENSURED. THE SECRETARY OF STATE SAID THAT HE THOUGHT THAT THIS

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