TNAG-1258-FCO40-1591-Third-countries-and-the-future-of-Hong-Kong-1984 — Page 175

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DSR 11C

Old Commonwealth.

But we would explain that we were

trying to see whether effective assurances could be

devised on the basis of the Chinese proposals, strictly

without commitment on our part; and that we were

optimistic that, on this basis, more detailed discussions

on concrete quest6ion would be possible.

We should

express interest in any feedback from Sino-Japanese

contacts touching on Hong Kong's future. The aim would

be ne more than to make the Japanese feel that they were

being taken into our confidence and to give them an

incentive to pass on more systematically information and

perceptions relating to Chinese thinking on Hong Kong.

If the Prime Minister agrees, we would instruct the

Embassy in Tokyo to approach the Japanese before of the

visit to Japan by Hu Yaobang, the Chairman of the Chinese

Communist Party, on 23 November.

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