TNAG-1343-FCO40-1773-Visit-by-Margaret-Thatcher--UK-Prime-Minister--to-Beijing-fo-1984 — Page 9

better on both counts.

PLA/CONSCRIPTION

CONFIDENTIAL

4.

Considerable anxiety in Hong Kong about prospect of PLA

garrison, Discussed this with you informally during last

visit. Fully accept your assurance that you will act

prudently. Could you not make some reassuring statement publicly on this?

5.

Similarly conscription. Discussed during negotiations.

As we understand it you are probably not intending to have

conscription in Hong Kong. Can understand why you did not

wish to put this in agreement and have it immutable for 63

years. But statement from Chinese Government that not

intending to introduce conscription in 1997 would have very

good effect in Hong Kong.

6. On both subjects we have taken line in public that this

entirely for Chinese Government.

JOINT LIAISON GROUP: MEMBERSHIP

7. You will have noticed pressure from Hong Kong to have

"Hong Kong people" represented. People in Hong Kong thinking

of Unofficials in this respect. We have said Officials only

but will include Hong Kong Government representatives.

This

is very least we can do. In any case sort of matters which will be discussed will demand presence of Hong Kong

Government Officials who are only ones who understand many of

them.

8.

Hong Kong Government officials will of course be members

of the British team. After 1997 presumably would sit on

Chinese side.

9.

[If necessary] Simply not possible to restrict Hong Kong

Government participation to British Government officials, or

CONFIDENTIAL