TNAG-1239-FCO40-1552-Future-of-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 129

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At this point he must state formally that China could not ut recover its sovereignty over Hong Kong in 1997 - and no later. It had been China's consistent position that the Chinese Government was not bound by treaties signed between the British Government and the Ching dynasty. The Chinese people had never recognised those treaties. By 1997 the legal basis on which Britain admini-

stered the New Territories would no longer exist. So the

British Government would have no reason not to return the New

Territories to China. Hong Kong Island and Kowloon were similarly inseparable from the territory of China. So the only wise and practical course was that the entire area, including Hong Kong Island and Kowloon, should be returned to China. Recovery of sovereignty over Hong Kong was an issue concerning Chinese sovereignty, territorial integrity and the national feelings of the Chinese people. The Chinese people would not permit the

Chinese Government to fail to recover sovereignty over the territory by 1997, 48 years after the founding of the People's Republic. Any Chinese Government which failed to recover sovereignty would not be able to account to its people. On this issue there was no alternative and no leeway for the Chinese Government.

The Prime Minister had just said that the British side had difficulties, but it was not a question of greater or lesser

difficulties for either side. The difficulties of the two sides

were different in nature. He hoped that the Prime Minister and

the British Government would understand this and that the two

sides would work to solve the issue successfully in a spirit of friendship and co-operation. A settlement of the problem would

mean not only the healing of a wound left over from history, but would also promote friendship and co-operation between the two countries.

The Chinese believed that solving the problem in this way would not only be in conformity with the interests of the Chinese people, but would also conform with British interests.

From a

fundamental and long term point of view, this would not adversely

affect the prosperity of Hong Kong.

The Prime Minister had just referred to the need for both sides to maintain the prosperity and development of Hong Kong.

After the recovery of sovereignty,

China understood that.

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