TNAG-1236-FCO40-1549-Future-of-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 16

FCO

GRS 130

CONFIDENTIAL

TELELETTER

"

никочо

0401

22 MAR 1983

Micap

196

- AF2/3) Nothing much five, Houph

FROM :- RN PEIRCE ESC., PEKING

FILE REF NIL

DATED 16MARCH 1983

FOLLOWING FOR:-

COPIED TO :-

the Chiind do seen to be lens expansive now in the

take with usifor

vie Key take

K P MARGOLIS ESQ, HONG KONG

W MORRIS ESQ, HKGD FCO

FUTURE OF HONG KONG:

DEACON DHIU

1. DEACON CHIU HAS RECENTLY BEEN IN PEKING.

浮

AR

1/3

Cari to

of Thanson Fed Mulher, RD

Perfume whe

whim

see

WE UNDERSTAND FROMTHE AUSTRALIANS THAT HE TOLD RANALD MACDONALD

(HIS PARTNER IN ATV HONG KONG, WHO HAS ALSO BEEN HLRC) THAT, WHEN HE HAD SEEN LIAO CHENGZHI, LIAO HAD TAKEN A VELY

1 ORTHODOX!! LIVE. CHIU SAID THERE WAS NO MODIFICATION

OF CHINA'S POSITION ON SOVEREIGNTY. HE HAD SUGGESTED VARIOUS SORTS OF COMPROMISES TO LIAO, WHO HAD

1873

See HR040/5

SEEMED UNRECEPTIVE. BUT HE THOUGHT LIAO HAD SHOWN SOME DISPOSITION

TO AGREE WHEN CHIU HAD STRESSED THE IMPORTANCE OF THE LEGAL SYSTEM IN

HONG KONG, WHICH THE RESIDENTS HAD KNOWN FOR 140 YEARS AND ON WHICH

THEY RELIED. LAIO ALSO SAW NO GREAT PROBLEM IN HONG KONG HAVING A SEPARATE CONVERTIBLE CURRENCY.

2. 1 IMAGINE YOU MIGHT GET A DIRECT BRIEFING FROM

CHIU. MY IMPRESSION IS THAT HIS MEETING WITH LIAO WAS

RATHER INSUBSTANTIAL. PERHAPS THERE WAS SOME TRUTH IN

THE STORY OF A FEW WEEKS AGO THAT LIAO HAD HAD HIS KNUCKLES

RAPPED BY DENG AND/OR HU FOR SPEAKING TOO FREELY.

24

SIGNED.

"

NNNAVV

..R N PEIRCE