TNAG-1259-FCO40-1599-The-Future-of-Hong-Kong---special-study-by-FCO--August-1982--1983 — Page 177

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The Chinese Position

8. Both the Nationalist Government of Chiang Kai-shek and

the Communist Government have consistently maintained that

Hong Kong is part of China, forcibly occupied by the British.

The PRC have always held that the three Nineteenth century

treaties under which Hong Kong was ceded and leased are among

the 'unequal treaties' imposed by foreigners as a result of

Up to now, the Chinese view has been that

China's weakness.

Hong Kong, which provides considerable economic benefit to

China, is a legacy from history to be tackled at the appropriate

time. But the continued existence of Hong Kong is an affront

Chinese feelings on this issue go very

to Chinese nationalism.

deep.

.-

9. In Chinese thinking, Hong Kong's future is closely linked

with that of Taiwan and Macao. The Chinese regard all three

as Chinese territory removed from their jurisdiction as a result

of foreign interference. The reunification of Taiwan with the

mainland has always been a leading objective of the PRC. Hong

Kong is not of the same importance for them. But Taipei's

predictably negative response to recent overtures from Peking

may mean that the Chinese leadership now envisage the problems

of Hong Kong and Macao being settled first. What is clear is

that the PRC would not agree to any arrangement for Hong Kong

which might prejudice their position on Taiwan, and that they

regard their nine-point proposals on Taiwan set out in September

1981 (see Annex D) as relevant to both Hong Kong and Macao.

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