TNAG-1341-FCO40-17721-Visit-by-Margaret-Thatcher--UK-Prime-Minister--to-Beijing-fo-1985 — Page 110

PRIME MINISTER

I think you are on to a point which is at the moment

a very difficult point between Hong Kong and the United States

Government, in view of some of the decisions which the United

States Government has taken about countries of origin, which I

understand is affecting Hong Kong trade. That itself, obviously, is a matter for the United States Government and is

not affected by the Agreement.

QUESTION

Could a change of the parties affect your

implementation of the Agreement?

PRIME MINISTER

You mean a change of Government?

No.

The Agreement

is made on behalf of Britain, on behalf of the United Kingdom,

with the Chinese Government and the implementation and

honouring of the Agreement continues even though there are

changes of parties. It is always a custom in Britain.

JILL HARTLEY (SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST)

Could I ask you a question, Prime Minister, on defence?

Did you receive assurances from the Chinese Leaders that there

would be no compulsory conscription into the PLA for Hong Kong

people after 1997 and did you discuss the option then of a

locally recruited volunteer force to man the British garrison

here?