TNAG-1253-FCO40-1586-Third-countries-and-the-future-of-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 32

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HONG KONG WOULD BECOME A SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE RECION, AND ON BEING PRESSED MERELY TOOK REFUGE IN SAYING THAT HONG KONG'S STATUS AS A FREE PORT ETC WOULD REMAIN UNCHANGED.

8. ON TAIWAN, IN ANSWER TO QUESTIONS, WU SAID THAT THE NATIONAL FLAG WOULD HAVE TO BE THAT OF THE PRC, BUT THAT CHINA HAD NOT YET DECIDED WHAT TO DO WITH THE KMT FLAG. HE CLAIMED NOT TO KNOW

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WHETHER TAIWAN WOULD CONTINUE TO BE ABLE TO PURCHASE WEAPONS ELSEWHERE, AS THIS WAS NOT HIS FIELD, BUT HE DID SAY DEFINITELY THAT NO CHINESE FORCES FROM THE MAINLAND WOULD GO TO TAIWANT. THE PARTY GOVERNMENT AND ARMED FORCES WOULD BE RUN BY THE TAIWANESE THEMSELVES.

9. SEE MIFT FOR COMMENT.

CLARK

THIS TELEGRAM WAS NOT ADVANCED

FUTURE OF HONG KONG

LIMITS

HD /HKD

HAIFED

SPA

ED/PLANNING STAFF

ED/PUSD

PS

PS/LADY YOUNG

PS/MR LUCE

PS/PUS

SIR J BULLARD

MR GIFFARD

MR DONALD

MR WRIGHT

COPIES TO:

SIR I SINCLAIR LEGAL ADVISER

MR BURROWS

MR MARTIN

MR FLOWER

MR COLES

LEGAL ADVISERS

ASSESSMENTS STAFF CABINET OFFICE

PUSD

NO 10 DOWNING ST

SIR A PARSONS

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MR WALKER, RESEARCH DEPT

MR ROBERTS

NEWS D

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GOGGS