DE YOU + SECRET + U.K. EYES ALPHA
11260
1
IN
INDIRECT CHANNELS BEEN PUTTING OUT PROPAGANDA DESIGNED TO PERSUADE THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG THAT THE RESUMPTION OF SOVEREIGNTY BY CHINA IS INEVITABLE, AND THAT THE INCORPORATION OF HONG KONG INTO A SPECIAL AUTONOMOUS REGION OF CHINA COULD TAKE PLACE WITH A CONSIDERABLE DEGREE OF AUTONOMY AND WITHOUT MAJOR CHANGES IN THE SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC SYSTEMS. WHILE THE CAMPAIGN MAY HAVE HAD SOME EFFECT, MOST HONG KONG CHINESE REMAIN HIGHLY SCEPTICAL, VIEW OF CHINA'S RECENT TURBULENT HISTORY AND RECORD. THE BASIC PROBLEM IS THAT HONG KONG PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR GUARANTEES AGAINS CHINESE INTERFERENCE, AND THESE GENERAL ASSURANCES DO NOT PROVIDE THE SECURITY WHICH THE LINK WITH BRITAIN OFFERS. MORALE IN HONG KONG SEEMS TO HAVE STABILISED IN RECENT MONTHS, BUT CONFIDENCE REMAINS FRAGILE AND COULD BE SERIOUSLY AFFECTED AT ANY TIME BY ILL-JUDGED CHINESE STATEMENTS.'
5. THE CHINESE IDEAS DO NOT HAVE ANY OFFICIAL STAMP AT PRESENT BUT THEY ARE WIDELY PUBLICISED, AND SHOW CONSIDERABLE IGNORANCE OF OR INDIFFERENCE TO A NUMBER OF BASIC POINTS WHICH AT PRESENT CONTRIBUTE TO HONG KONG'S SUCCESS. FOR EXAMPLE, THEY APPEAR TO ASSUME THAT, SIMPLY BY STATING THAT AN INDEPENDENT AND CONVERTIBLE CURRENCY WILL CONTINUE, IT WILL SO HAPPEN. IGNORE THE ELEMENTS OF CONFIDENCE WHICH ARE VITAL TO UNDERPIN A CURRENCY. IN GENERAL, THEY FAIL TO CONVINCE HONG KONG PEOPLE THAT THE FREE SOCIAL SYSTEM AND EQUALITY UNDER A PREDICTABLE
SYSTEM OF LAW WOULD IN FACT CONTINUE.
THEY
6. SO FAR HOWEVER WE HAVE NOT REACTED PUBLICLY TO THIS CHINESE PROPAGANDA. IN OUR VIEW IT IS THE TALKS THAT COUNT, NOT WHAT
IS SAID OUTSIDE THEM.
7. IN KEEPING WITH YOUR ADVICE AND THE VIEWS OF SIR P CRADOCK AND SIR E YOUDE WE DO NOT WANT TO FEED POINTS TO THE AUSTRALIANS TO PUT TO THE CHINESE. WE HOPE THAT THIS BACKGROUND MAY HELP THEM IN PUTTING ACROSS THEIR OWN POINT OF VIEW, IF THEY WISH. 8. WE ARE INFORMING SIR A DUFF. YOU WILL NO DOUBT BE IN TOUCH WITH HIM ABOUT HIS OWN CONTACTS WITH AUSTRALIAN INTELLIGENCE OFFICIALS, IN WHICH HE WILL CONCENTRATE ON OUR ASSESSMENT OF THE
CHINESE POSITION.
9.
WE AGREE THAT THE GOVERNOR AND SIR P CRADOCK MAY SPEAK TO
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DE YOU + SECRET
+ U.K. EYES ALPHA
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