TNAG-1239-FCO40-1552-Future-of-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 157

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Souly!

Mr Deng Xiaoping was at this point handed a piece of paper by his advisers. He read the following text:

"Today leaders of the two countries have had deep ranging

discussions on the question of Hong Kong in a friendly atmosphere. Although there existed differences, both

sides believe that discussions were useful in order to

seek an appropriate settlement of the Hong Kong question. Both sides agreed to maintain contact on the question of Hong Kong through diplomatic channels, following this visit."

The Prime Minister said that she wished to make a number

of points. As regards Mr. Deng's reference to Singapore, she had great admiration for that country and for Mr. Lee Kuan Yew but it was a sovereign, independent country, whose position did

not equate to that of Hong Kong. Under normal circumstances we would bring Hong Kong similarly to sovereign independence but we

could not because China would not accept this and the people of Hong Kong knew that.

She

If

What really worried her was Mr. Deng's attitude to disturbances. She was not contemplating disturbances. would do everything to prevent them. She was however contemplating the possibility of a financial collapse and she also wished to prevent that. The fact was that Hong Kong had been financially prosperous and very well run under British administration. disturbances occured, they would not have been caused by British administration in any way. So she urged him not to make the kind of statement that he had suggested. Instead, we might take the first sentence and then record the agreement of the two sides to

enter into talks about the future of Hong Kong. We should not

disturb the prosperity of the Chinese people of Hong Kong, most of whom had worked extremely hard for it. Reverting to the proposed statement, she suggested that the two sides should say that they had talks, these were a first exchange, all problems

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