SECRET
PP WASHINGTON
GRS 631
SECRET
FM FCO 211113Z JAN 83
TO PRIORITY WASHINGTON
TELEGRAM NUMBER 98 OF 21 JANUARY
RFI PRIORITY PEKING, HONG KONG
PERSONAL FOR AMBASSADOR
48778 1
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21 JAN 1983
MIPT: FUTURE OF HONG KONG: LINE TO TAKE WITH MR SHULTZ
1.
3.51
m į Afzq
THERE HAS BEEN NO MAJOR DEVELOPMENT IN THE TALKS SINCE YOU
WERE BRIEFED IN EARLY NOVEMBER 1982. HMA PEKING, WHO SAW
ZHENG WENJIN TWICE DURING OCTOBER TO DISCUSS THE FRAMEWORK
WITHIN WHICH SUBSTANTIVE TALKS COULD TAKE PLACE, SAW HIM AGAIN
IN EARLY DECEMBER WHEN HE (ZHANG), AS AMBASSADOR-DESIGNATE TO
WASHINGTON, TOGETHER WITH THE FOREIGN MINISTER, WAS ABOUT TO BE
REPLACED. SINCE THEN THE NEW FOREIGN MINISTER HAS BEEN
ACCOMPANYING PRIME MINISTER ZHAO ON THE EXTENSIVE AFRICAN TOUR.
INDICATIONS ARE THAT THESE CHANGES AND ABSENCES HAVE BEEN AT LEAST PARTLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE HOLD-UP, AND THAT THE CHINESE
WILL RESUME THE DIALIGUE SOON. WE FOR OUR PART ARE ANXIOUS TO
GET DETAILED TALKS UNDER WAY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. IF WE HAVE
ANY FURTHER NEWS FROM PEKING OR ANYTHING OF SIGNIFICANCE TO
REPORT BEFORE YOUR DEPARTURE, WE SHALL LET YOU KNOW.
2.
MEANOHILE, THE CHINESE ARE CONTINUING TO PUT AROUND, ALTHOUGH
NOT IN AN OFFICIAL WAY, SINCE THEY ARE CAREFUL NOT TO LET THE
VIEWS APPEAR AS ANY STATEMENT ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE CHINESE
GOVERNMENT, ELEMENTS OF THEIR VISION OF HONG KONG AS A SPECIAL
ADMINISTRATIVE REGION, LARGELY AUTONOMOUS BUT LINKED NOT TO
LONDON BUT TO PEKING. THEY HAVE BEEN STRESSING PARTICULARLY TO
VISITORS FROM HONG KONG, THAT UNDER THIS SCHEME MANY THINGS IN
HONG KONG, INCLUDING STANDARD OF LIVING, FREEDOM OF SPEECH,
THE LEGAL SYSTEM, CAPITALIST, ETC WILL REMAIN UNCHANGED. WHILE
THIS PROPAGANDA CAMPAIGN IS NO DOUBT CONVINCING SOME HONG KONG
CHINESE, OTHERS, WITH CHINA'S RECENT TURBULENT HISTORY AND
RECORD IN MIND, ARE MORE SCEPTICAL.TO SAY THE LEAST HONG KONG THUS R
REMAINS NERVOUS, ALTHOUGH THE HANG SENG INDEX HAS GONE UP, NO DOUBT
Lee
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