TNAG-1239-FCO40-1552-Future-of-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 5

GPS 240

CONFIDENTIAL

TOP CORY

i H K K

CONFIDENTIALVED IN REGISTRY NO. 51.

FM HONG KONG 110335Z AUG 83

TO PRIORITY FCO

1 1 AUG 1983

DESK OFFICE

INDEX

REGISTRY

CHESS (8

TELEGRAM NUMBER 1187 OF 11 AUGUST 1983 INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON AND PEKING

PROPOSED VISIT TO CHINA: LORD RHODES

1. WE HAVE HEARD FROM THE HK OFFICE THAT LORD RHODES HAS BEEN INVITED TO VISIT CHINA BY THE CHINESE AMBASSADOR. HE INTENDS

TO HEAD A SMALL GROUP COMPRISING HIMSELF, LADY LLEWELLYN DAVIES, MR. A GOODLAD, M.P. AND MISS FRANCES WOOD (A CHINESE EXPERT FROM THE BRITISH MUSEUM). HE PLANS TO LEAVE UK AT THE BEGINNING

OF OCTOBER AND BE AWAY FOR ABOUT A FORTNIGHT.

2. WE UNDERSTAND THAT FINANCE FOR THE VISIT IS A PROBLEM AND THAT LORD KADOORIE WAS APPROACHED FOR HELP. THIS SUGGESTS THAT

PERHAPS THE ARRANGEMENTS ARE NOT YET FIRM.

}

3. LORD RHODES HAS APPARENTLY SAID THAT THE PRIME PURPOSE OF THE VISIT WAS TO IMPROVE SINO-BRITISH RELATIONS AND ALSO TO TALK ON THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG. HE HAS FURTHER INDICATED THAT HE HAS A QUOTE SOLUTION UNQUOTE TO THE HONG KONG PROBLEM WHICH IS THAT THE CHINESE SHOULD NOT RECOVER HONG KONG UNTIL THE STANDARDS OF LIVING IN GUANGDONG WERE SIMILAR TO THOSE IN

HONG KONG.

4. WHILST WE HAVE NO GROUNDS FOR OBJECTING TO A PRIVATE VISIT TO CHINA BY LORD RHODES, IT SEEMS TO US THAT A VISIT OF THE KIND WHICH LORD RHODES APPARENTLY HAS IN MIND, COMING SOON AFTER THE NEXT ROUND OF TALKS, WOULD NOT BE VERY TIMELY. SINCE THE INVITATION HAS BEEN ISSUED IT MAY NOT BE POSSIBLE TO PREVENT IT. BUT SUBJECT TO PEKING'S VIEWS, WE THINK THAT LORD RHODES SHOULD BE ACTIVELY DISCOURAGED FROM CANVASSING QUOTE SOLUTIONS UNQUOTE TO THE HONG KONG PROBLEM. EVEN IF HE WERE TO DO SO ON A PURELY PERSONAL BASIS THIS IS LIKELY TO CONFUSE THE CHINESE, WHO TEND TO ASSUME THAT PEOPLE LIKE LORD RHODES SPEAK FOR THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT. UNOFFICIALS ARE ALSO UNDERSTANDABLY OPPOSED TO BRITISH FIGURES, OTHER THAN THOSE OFFICIALLY EN- TRUSTED WITH THE TASK, APPEARING EVEN BY IMPLICATION TO SPEAK FOR HONG KONG.

HADDON-CAVE

LIMITED

[THIS TELEGRAM WAS NOT ADVANCED]

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PS/LADY YOUNG PS/MR LUCE

PS/MR RAISON PS/PUS

SIR J BULLARD

MR WRIGHT

MR GIFFARD

MR DONALD

CONFIDENTIAL

COPIES TO

HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE

LONDON