TNAG-1256-FCO40-1589-Third-countries-and-the-future-of-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 119

3. DON ANDERSON, DIRECTOR FOR CHINA IN THE STATE DEPARTMENT, ELABORATED FOR ME ON DISCUSSION OF HONG KONG BETWEEN SHULTZ AND

THE CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTER LAST WEEK (MY TELELETTER TO COX REFERS).

ANDERSON SAID THAT IN THE COURSE OF A FAIRLY MODERATE EXPOSITION

THE CHINESE ATTITUDE TOWARDS TAIWAN, WU HAD SPOKEN AT SOME

LENGTH ON HONG KONG, LINKING THE TWO ISSUES AND STRESSING THAT DENG

XIAOPING'S STATEMENTS ON TAIWAN AND HONG KONG WERE OF PARTICULAR

IMPORTANCE AND SHOULD BE STUDIED CAREFULLY. HE SAID THAT CHINA'S

DEMANDS ON SOVEREIGNTY WERE NON-NEGOTIABLE AND DESCRIBED THE

FUTURE OF HONG KONG UNDER CHINESE SOVEREIGNTY IN STANDARD TERMS:

AS A SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION, HONG KONG WOULD MAINTAIN

EXISTING FREEDOMS. HONG KONG AND TAIWAN WERE INTERNAL AFFAIRS OF

CHINA. THERE WAS NO PRECEDENT IN HISTORY FOR HAVING TWO SOCIAL

SYSTEMS UNDER ONE STATE. BUT CHINA HAD MADE THAT DECISION IN THE

INTERESTS OF STABILITY AND PROSPERITY IN THE REGION. WITH REGARD

TO HONG KONG, CHINA HAD DISCARDED OTHER MEANS WHICH IT COULD

HAVE EMPLOYED. THE QUESTION WAS PRIMARILY A MATTER OF TRUST

WHETHER THE OUTSIDE WORLD BELIEVED CHINA WOULD STICK TO ITS POLICY.

(ANDERSON CONFIRMED THAT WU HAD SAID THAT). HE HOPED THE US WOULD

STUDY THE CHINESE POSITION CAREFULLY. ANDERSON SAID THAT IN

REPLY, SHULTZ HAD MADE NO MORE THAN A BLAND STATEMENT OF US INTEREST

IN THE CONTINUED STABILITY AND PROSPERITY OF HONG KONG.

SIGNED S J GOMERSALL

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