TNAG-1303-FCO40-1659-Visits-by-FCO-officials-to-Hong-Kong-1984 — Page 7

HKK 027/14

SECENED IN

11 DEC 1904

CONFIDENTIAL

Л. вай

pa

1114

42

FROM: Sir W Harding

DATE: 7 December 1984

Cc: PS

PS/Lady Young

PS/Mr Luce PS/Mr Renton

Mr David Thomas

Dr Wilson

Heads of

HKD

FED

MCAD

WIAD

SAMD

PUS

-

VISIT TO FAR EAST AND WASHINGTON: 22 NOVEMBER 4 DECEMBER

1.

During the past fortnight I have visited Hong Kong, Tokyo, Seoul and Washington. The official conversations that I held in the last three capitals have been reported telegraphically by the posts concerned; as was an outline of the conclusions of the mini- Heads of Mission Conference I chaired in Tokyo. What follows is a personal impression.

HONG KONG

2.

I met a representative selection of middle-class Hong Kong Chinese, both businessmen and members of UMELCO. I found them generally pleased with the Agreement but nervous about its implement- ation. They seemed to reflect a general desire to achieve, contradictory aims, viz:

a.

b.

d.

e.

to maintain the status quo, while painlessly reintegrating themselves into the Chinese motherland;ERN

while

to have a greater say in the running of Hong Kong avoiding full-blooded, Westminster-type democracy, and particularl what they termed 'street corner politics'.

to get rid of the British, while preserving British civil liberties and some cultural benefits;

to see the Basic Law drafted as soon as possible with an effective infusion of Hong Kong views, while not rushing the Chinese government leaders, who will need to take time to learn more about Hong Kong's individuality;

to arrange (where their personal circumstances permit) convenient and safe bolt holes abroad, while continuing to take advantage of Hong Kong's unparallelled opportunities for making money.

/3.

CONFIDENTIAL