GPS 500
SECRET
DESKBY FCO 07090OZ
DESK BY PEKING 070800Z
SECRET
FM HONG KONG 07032OZ NOV 83
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELEGRAM NUMBER 1685 OF 7 NOVEMBER
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING
MY TELNO 1684: FUTURE OF HONG KONG.
MK Kogels
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY / NOV 1933
Di
fri
TOP CORY CHILL ||
1. MUCH OF WHAT DENG SAND WAS FAMILIAR STUFF: INSISTENCE ON
RECOVERY OF SOVEREIGNTY: A SOLUTION WOULD PUT AN END TO THE
COLON HALIST PERIOD: THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG WILL ADMINISTER
HONG KONG: EXCHANGE RATE DIFFICULTIES WERE DUE TO A BRITISH
ATTEMPT TO BRING PRESSURE ON THE CHINESE: AND AGREEMENT MUST
BE REACHED AND AN ANNOUNCEMENT MADE BY SEPTEMBER 1984 ETC.
2. THE NEW ELEMENT WAS DENG'S ANALYSIS OF THE BRITISH POSITION.
HE MADE THE FOLLOWING POINTS.
(A) MRS THATCHER HAD BEEN INSISTING ON THE VALIDITY OF THE THREE TREATIES, WHICH WERE ''UNEQUAL'.
(B) DURING THE SECOND ROUND THE BRITISH THESES HAD BEEN THAT
THE UK WOULD RETURN SOVEREIGNTY TO CHINA AND RETAIN THE RIGHT
OF ADMINISTRATION. THAT WOULD NOT WORK.
(C) AT THE LAST ROUND, THERE WAS NO FURTHER TALKS ABOUT THE RIGHT
OF ADMINISTRATION: BUT AFTER 1997 THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT WOULD
PARTICIPATE TO A CERTAIN EXTENT IN THE ADMINISTRATION OF HONG KONG.
THAT WOULD NOT WORK ETHER. IT WOULD MEAD DISGUISED CONTROL OF
THE TERRITORY. DENG LATER ADDED THAT THE BRITISH WANTED TO
MAINTAIN A ''OROIT DE REGARD'' OVER THE POLICE AND THE LEGAL
ESTABLISHMENT. **THIAS IS A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM FOR US.
(D) THE ATTITUDE OF THE BRITISH HAD THUS SEEN SOME CHANGE. BUT
THE PRESENT IDEA WOULD NOT WORK ENTHER (**LA CONCEPTION ACTUELL
NHRA PA NON PLUS''),
(E) THE BRITISH STARTING POINT WAS THAT HONG KONG WAS PROSPEROUS
BECAUSE OF BRITISH ADMINISTRATION. THAT WAS WRONG. THE CHINESE
HAD NOT RESPONDED PUBLICLY TO THIS ARGUMENT. BUT HE HOPED THE
BRITISH WOULD KEEP A CLEAR MIND IN THIS AFFAIR.
(F) THERE WAS NO QUESTION OF BRITISH PARTICIPATION IN THE
ADMINISTRATION OF HONG KONG AFTER 1997. BUT DURING A TRANSITIONAL
PERIOD BRITISH ADVISERS COULD BE INVITED IN THE FIELDS OF FOR EXAMPLE, THE POLICE AND FINANCE. DENG REFERRED TO ZIMBABWE BY
WAY OF HILLUSTRATION.
3. DENG REITERATED THAT HE DID NOT KNOW WHAT THE BRITISH MIGHT
GET UP TO DURING THE NEXT 13 YEARS: BUT HE HAD TOLD MRS THATCHER
THAT IF SOMETHING IRREMEDIABLE OCCURED THE CHINESE WOULD REVIEW
THE TIME AND MEANS BY WHICH THEY WOULD RECOVER SOVEREIGNTY, HE
LATER ADDED THAT IF SOMETHING HAPPENED THE CHINESE WOULD
REVISE THE METHOD OF ADMINISTERING HONG KONG, BUT SUCH A CHANGE
WOULD NOT ALTER THE SOCIAL SYSTEM.
SECRET
14. INTERVIEW
623
See520 See 5251
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.