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8.
On the other hand Senhor Ramos, the Portuguese chargé in Peking said that the Chinese had pressed for an open acknowledgement by Portugal that Macao was Chinese territory but had eventually settled for a private oral acceptance of this principle. The Portuguese had feared that a more public statement would lead to an outcry at home. (George's teleletter 020/354/1 to Samuel of 30 July 1979). The then Portuguese Foreign X. Minister, Senhor de Freitas-Cruz appears to have decided that no details
of the undertaking on Macao should be passed to the United Kingdom (Samuel's letter to George of 30 August 1979).
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9.
Senhor de Freitas-Cruz, now Portuguese Ambassador in London, told Mr Donald in October 1982 that the text of the agreement of 8 February 1979 included a secret clause which was carefully drafted to avoid any outright admission by Portugal of Chinese sovereignty over Macao but which enabled the Chinese to claim sovereignty which they chose not to exercise; if they did wish to exercise sovereignty they would give notice and enter into negotiations with the Portuguese. In no part of the document was it stated flatly that sovereignty over Macao was Chinese.
10. On 19 May 1983 the Governor of Macao had a talk with the Governor of Hong Kong during the latter's visit to Macao. He did not indicate that any secret agreement was in existence; but he did say that there was an understanding between China and Portugal under which Macao is regarded as "Chinese territory" but "under Portuguese administration". He added that if Portugal were to leave Macao the only "destination" for the territory would naturally be the People's Republic and it was understood that "certain procedures" would have to be agreed in order to ensure that the change was orderly and not sudden.
11. During the same visit Mr Ho Yin, one of the territory's leading citizens and a channel of communication with the Chinese in conversation
with Sir S Y Chung of Hong Kong, denied that there was any secret agreement in written form. He added that at the time of the establishment
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