TNAG-1341-FCO40-17721-Visit-by-Margaret-Thatcher--UK-Prime-Minister--to-Beijing-fo-1985 — Page 18

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Sir. S. Y. Chung's speech at Ji Pengfei's Banquet on 18.12.84

The following notes supplement the Ambassador's note

of 22 December1487).

2.

3.

I was present at the Banquet.

As I understand it the intention was that only Ji Pengfei should speak. He did so and welcomed the representatives from

"the Hong Kong circles". After a short period Sir S. Y. Chung told Ji Pengfei that he would like to speak. (Subsequently Selina Chow told Anson Chan that there had been no intention

for Sir S. Y. to speak at the Banquet since we were all there

in our individual capacities, however he insisted.) He did so without notes and used an interpreter. He thanked Ji Pengfei

and the Hong Kong and Macau Office for the reception and for the arrangements made for the visitors from Hong Kong. said that as had been reported in the press there were some elements in the Joint Declaration about which Hong Kong people had expressed concern. He concluded by referring to the basic law and the wish of Hong Kong people to participate in its drafting.

He then

4. At the end of the speech the Chinese officials at table No. 1

looked pretty glum and immediately Miss Dorothy Liu started running between tables and ended by having a whispered conversatio with Xu Jiatun at table No. 1. I gathered later that what she had said was that as Sir S. Y. Chung did not represent the majority of Hong Kong circles another speaker should be selected to balance what Sir S. Y. Chung had said. At this stage Mr. Lu Ping and Ke Zaishuo left their tables and had a conversation, though whether this had anything to do with Sir S. Y.'s speech

I do not know. Later Mr. Henry Fok (not Dr. Harry Fang) rose to speak. His speech was brief but was not translated. After-

wards Mr. Jack Tang told me that all he had said was that the

G.F. 82

CONFIDENTIAL

/Hong Kong