TNAG-1237-FCO40-1550-Future-of-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 64

GRS 190

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

FROM PEKING 040910Z MAY 83

TO PRIORITY FCO

TELEGRAM NUMBER 401 OF 4/5/83

REPEATED FOR INFO TO PRIORITY HONG KONG

ABOO SOL

tikk040

RAZIVED SI TADA, 51 - MAY 1983

FUTURE OF HONG KONG:

PROISTRY

INDEX

im Taken

m

"CM 11/5

1. DAVID NEWBIGGING, THE CHAIRMAN OF JARDINE'S, CALLED ON STATE COUNCILLOR CHEN MUHUA ON 29 APRIL.

THE CHINESE HAD INVITED MEMBERS OF THE EMBASSY, BUT MADE IT CLEAR THAT THE INVITATION WAS ADDRESSED TO THE COMMERCIAL SECTION, NO DOUBT TO UNDERLINE THAT THE CALL WAS NOT REGARDED AS POLITICAL. O'BRIEN, AND EHRMAN, THE LATTER ON TEMPORARY ATTACHEMENT TO COMMERCIAL SECTION, ATTENDED.

2. FULL RECORD FOLLOWS BY BAG. HOWEVER NEWBIGGING, ON THE BASIS OF ADVICE WHICH HAD GIVEN TO HIM EARLIER, EMPHASISED THE NEED TO MAINTAIN AND INCREASE CONFIDENCE IN HONG KONG AT SEVERAL POINTS IN THE CONVERSATION. MADAME CHEN DID NOT RESPOND, AND WAS CLEARLY ANXIOUS TO KEEP AWAY FROM SENSITIVE POLITICAL ISSUES. THIS IS WHAT WE EXPECTED: SHE HAS SHOWN NO PARTICULAR INTEREST IN INVOLVEMENT IN THIS ISSUE IN THE

PAST.

3. NEVERTHELESS WE THINK IT IS USEFUL THAT NEWBIGGING SPOKE IN THIS WAY, AND A CAREFUL NOTE WILL HAVE BEEN TAKEN BY THE CHINESE.

CRADOCK

FUTURE OF HONG KÒNG

THE REMED

HD/HKGD

HD/FED

ED/PLANNING STAFF ED/PUSD

PS

PS/MR HURD

PS/LORD BELSTEAD

PS/FUS

SIR J BULLARD

MR GIFFARD MR DONALD

COPIES TO

SIR I SINCLAIR LEGAL ADVISER MR BURROWS LEGAL ADVISERS

MR ROBERTS

NEWS D

MR MARTIN

MR FLOWER

MR COLES

ASSESSMENTS STAFF CABINET OFFICE

PUSD

NO 10 DOWNING ST

THIS TELEGRAM

WAS NOT ADVANCED'

CONFIDENTIAL

$79

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