TNAG-1298-FCO40-1653-Visit-by-Sir-Geoffrey-Howe--Secretary-of-State-for-Foreign-a-1984 — Page 80

10. IS IT TRUE THAT AFTER CONCEDING SOVEREIGNTY AND ADMINISTRATION

CHINA HAS AGREED TO THE RENEWAL BY THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OF THE

LAND LEASES IN THE NEW TERRITORIES FOR A FURTHER 75 YEARS?

11. CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTER WU ZUEQIAN WAS REPORTED FROM VIENNA

AS SAYING THAT THE QUESTION OF SOVEREIGNTY OVER HONG KONG HAD

ALREADY BEEN RESOLVED IN PRINCIPLE, THAT THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT

HAD BEEN COOPERATIVE AT THE NEGOTIATIONS, THAT HE BELIEVED THE

UK WOULD CONTINUE TO BE CO-OPERATIVE AND THAT THE ISSUE OF HONG

KONG'S FUTURE COULD BE RESOLVED VERY SOON. HAVE YOU ANY COMMENT

ON THESE ASSERTIONS?

12. THE RELUCTANCE OF BRITAIN TO DISCLOSE ANY DETAILS OF THE

NEGOTIATIONS IS CAUSING GREAT CONCERN AMONG BUSINESSMEN IN HONG

KONG. JARDINE MATHESON, RECENTLY ANNOUNCED IT WAS ESTABLISHING

A HOLDING COMPANY IN BERMUDA. OTHER COMPANIES COULD MAKE SIMILAR

DECISIONS. DO YOU THINK SUCH CORPORATE MOVES ARE NECESSARY?

13. IT HAS BEEN SUGGESTED THAT JARDINE MATHESON DECIDED TO MOVE

THEIR HOLDING COMPANY OUT OF HONG KONG BECAUSE THE COMPANY HAD

''INSIDE' INFORMATION FROM LONDON THAT THE NEGOTIATIONS ON HONG

KONG'S FUTURE WERE NOT PROCEEDING WELL. IS THAT TRUE?

14. THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT HAS SAID IT DOES NOT WISH TO RUSH THE

NEGOTIATIONS ON HONG KONG'S FUTURE. CHINA HAS SET SEPTEMBER THIS

YEAR AS A DEADLINE. DID YOU DISCUSS THESE DIFFERING POSITIONS?

15. IF THE NEGOTIATIONS ON HONG KONG'S FUTURE ARE PROGRESSING WELL

AS STATED BY BOTH BRITAIN AND CHINA WHY DID YOU DECIDED TO VISIT

PEKING AT THIS PARTICULAR TIME?

16. IS IT TRUE THAT BRITAIN HAS ALREADY CONCEDED ADMINISTRATIVE

CONTROL OVER HONG KONG AS WELL AS SOVEREIGNTY AND ADMINISTRATION,

AND THAT THE BRITISH TEAM IS NOW SIMPLY TRYING TO TIE DOWN THE

CHINESE AUTHORITIES TO SPECIFIC CONDITIONS IN ORDER TO GUARANTEE

THE CONTINUITY OF HONG KONG'S SYSTEMS AND LIFE STYLE?

17. DID YOU TAKE ANY PERSONAL MESSAGE FROM MRS THATCHER TO MR

DENG XIAOPING RELATING TO THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG AND CAN YOU

DISCLOSE ANY DETAILS OF THAT COMMUNICATION?

18. CHINESE PREMIER ZHAO ZIYANG HAS GIVEN A PUBLIC ASSURANCE THAT

HONG KONG'S CAPITALIST SYSTEM AND LIFESTYLE WILL BE MAINTAINED FOR

50 YEARS AFTER 1997. HAS THIS ASSURANCE BEEN FORMALLY GIVEN AT THE

NEGOTIATING TABLE IN PEKING?

19. WOULD YOU SAY THAT IN KEEPING WITH THE PROMISE TO MAINTAIN THE LIFESTYLE OF HONG KONG, IT IS NECESSARY FOR CHINA TO INCLUDE

PROVISIONS FOR THE PRESENT JUDICIAL SYSTEM IN THE BASIC LAW IT

IS SAID TO BE DRAFTING?

CONFIDENTIAL

/ 20. THERE