TNAG-1240-FCO40-1553-Future-of-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 50

SECRET

TOP

12697

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1

478

PP HONG KONG

GRS 242

SECRET

FM FCO 181630Z AUG 83

TO PRIORITY HONG KONG

TELEGRAM NUMBER 801 OF 18 AUGUST

AND TO PEKING

MKK040/1

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

& Aug 1983

NEGISTRY

PA

Action Taken

DESK OFFICER

INDEX

414-MARGOLIS' TELELETTER OF 9 AUGUST: XU JIATUN

MKK040/2 (83)

1.

WE TOO HAVE BEEN WATCHING XU'S MOVEMENTS WITH INTEREST.

GIVEN HIS SENIORITY IN THE PRC HIERARCHY AND WHAT WE KNOW OF

CHINESE PLANS FOR THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG, IT WOULD BE LOGICAL

IF A DELIBERATE ATTEMPT WAS BEING MADE TO BUILD UP THE STATUS

AND ROLE OF THE HEAD OF THE NCNA. IF SUCCESSFUL, THIS MIGHT

CAUSE SOME OF THE PROBLEMS WHICH WE HAVE IN PAST FORESEEN WHEN

CONSIDERING THE IDEA OF AN OFFICIAL CHINESE REPRESENTATIVE.

2.

WE FEEL SURE THAT THE WALLED CITY VISIT WAS DELIBERATELY

PLANNED. WE DO NOT FIND THE REASONS GIVEN IN THE COMMUNIST

~ PRESS (HONG KONG TELNO 1183) CONVINCING. THE CHINESE MAY

BE DEMONSTRATING THEIR ABILITY TO TOUCH US ON A SENSITIVE SPOT,

AND REMINDING THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG BY OBLIQUE REFERENCE TO

TEH 1898 CONVENTION OF THE TRANSIENCE OF BRITISH ADMINISTRATION

AND THE INEVITABILITY OF THE REASSERTION OF CHINESE SOVEREIGNTY.

A HAVE YOUR CAKE AND EAT 17 APPROACH TO THE TREATIES IS NOTHING

NEW FOR THE CHINESE AND FITS WITH THEIR BECOMING INCREASINGLY

LOCKED IN TO THE 1997 DATE (CF HU YAOBANG'S 15 AUGUST REMARKS).

3.

WE WOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR ANY FURTHER THOUGHTS THAT YOU

HAVE ON XU OR THE WALLED CITY VISIT AND FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

ON XU'S ACTIVITIES. WE THINK IT QUITE LIKELY THAT THIS VISIT MAY

SIGNAL THE BEGINNING OF A HONG KONG-BASED PHASE OF THE PROPAGANDA

CAMPAIGN.

MKK04014'K'

1

WHITNEY

FUTURE OF HONG KONG

TRENURIM340

ED/EKO ED/FED

ED/PLANNING STAFF

ED/PUSD

PS

PS/LADY YOUNG

PS/MR LUCE

PS/PUS

SIR J BULLARD

MR GIFFARD

MR DONALD MR WRIGHT

SECRET

SIR I SINCLAIR LEGAL ADVISER

COPIES TO:

MR BURROWS

MR MARTIN

MR FLOWER

MR COLES

LEGAL ADVISERS

ASSESSMENTS STAFF CABINET OFFICE

PUSD

NO 10 DOWNING ST

STR A PARSONS

MR WALKER,

19

IT

RESEARCH DEPT

MR ROBERTS NEWS D

(GOGGS)