TNAG-1341-FCO40-17721-Visit-by-Margaret-Thatcher--UK-Prime-Minister--to-Beijing-fo-1985 — Page 109

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QUESTION

Mrs. Thatcher, is it true that in 1979, when

Governor Macle-Hose went to Peking and spoke with Deng Xiaoping, that Deng Xiaoping told him that not only should Hong Kong people put their hearts at ease but also that China intended to retake sovereignty over Hong Kong in

1997? If this is true, why were not the Hong Kong people

told about it? And second, did that have anything to do

with the formulation of the Nationality Act?

PRIME MINISTER

First, I do not know the content of any talks which

Lord Macle-Hose may have had.

Secondly, we must now turn our eyes to this Agreement.

Our task now is to implement this Agreement which has been overwhelmingly accepted by Hong Kong people as a whole.

The Nationality Act was passed by the British Parliament in the light of all the circumstances then at the

time.

QUESTION

Mrs. Thatcher, how can your Government assist Hong Kong in solving the problems in national trade relations, such as the Declaration of Countries of Origin proposed by

the US Government? Do the British interests....on the

high priority? Furthermore, could a change of the parties affect your implementation of the Agreement?