GRS 400
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG 130816Z MAY 25
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELEGRAM NUMBER 904 OF 13 MAY
INFO PRIORITY PEKING
CONFIDENTIAL
TOP COPY
NR- MY TELNO 872: CHINESE PRIME MINISTER'S VISIT TO THE UK:
REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT IN HONG KONG.
1. AS REPORTED IN MY TEL UNDER REFERENCE, DURING THE SHORT MEETING WHEN WE WERE IN WUXI IN JIANGSU, XU JIATUN, THE DIRECTOR OF THE NEW CHINA NEWS AGENCY, SPOKE TO ME ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENT OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT IN HONG KONG. HE EMPHASISED THE CHINESE VIEW THAT THE MAINTENANCE OF STABILITY AND PROSPERITY WAS OF VITAL IMPORTANCE AND THAT THE PRC WOULD MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO CONTRIBUTE TO THIS. THE CHINESE HOPED THAT THESE FACTORS WOULD BE VERY CAREFULLY CONSIDERED IN THE PROGRAMME OF POLITICAL REFORMS. THEY HOPED ALSO THAT AS THE UK WITHDREW FROM HONG KONG NO NEGATIVE FACTORS WOULD BE CREATED AND THAT THE PRESENT STRUCTURE WOULD BE DAMAGED AS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE. HONG KONG WAS A SENSITIVE PLACE AND REQUIRED STABILITY PARTICULARLY
IN THE UPPER LEVELS.
2. I ASSURED HIM THAT STABILITY REMAINED A PRIME OBJECTIVE AND THAT NOTHING WOULD BE DONE TO PUT THIS AT RISK. OUR STARTING POINT WAS THE ANNEX OF THE JOINT DECLARATION. WE WERE HOWEVER MEETING A NEED TO RESPOND TO A DESIRE FOR A GREATER DEGREE OF PARTICIPATION BY AN INCREASINGLY WELL-EDUCATED POPULATION. THE STEPS WE HAD TAKEN WERE ALL MODEST AND EVERY EFFORT WAS BEING MADE TO BUILD ON THE EXISTING STRUCTURE. I ALSO EXPLAINED IN GREATER DETAIL TO MR XU THE RATIONALE BEHIND THE NEW COMPOSITION
OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.
3. THE THEME THAT REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT IS GOING TOO FAST IN HONG KONG IS BECOMING A REGULAR ONE FROM CHINESE SOURCES (SEE ALSO CRADOCK'S LETTER TO WILSON OF 30 APRIL). IT PROBABLY REFLECTS THE CONCERN OF DENG XIAOPING HIMSELF.
4. IT SEEMS THEREFORE VERY LIKELY THAT ZHAO ZIYANG WILL RAISE THE ISSUE WITH THE PRIME MINISTER DURING HIS VISIT IN JUNE AND YOU MAY WISH TO INCLUDE A BRIEF ON THIS ISSUE IN THE PAPERS FOR THE VISIT. IF YOU WISH THE BRIEF TO BE DRAFTED HERE I SHOULD 2E GRATEFUL TO KNOW IN WHAT FORM YOU WOULD WISH IT TO BE CAST. YOUDE
LIMITED
HD/HKD
[REPEATED AS REQUESTEDI
HD/FED
HD/PLANNING STAFF
HD/PUSD
DEP HD/PUSD
RESEARCH DEPT (MR WALKER)
PS
PS/MR LUCE
PS/PUS
SIR W HARDING
MR WILSON
SIR J FREELAND
MR J CROWLEY, PUSD
COPIES TO:(VIA ADR)
MR ROBERTS, NEWS DEPT
MR FIFOOT, LEGAL ADVISERS
MR MARTIN, ASST STAFF CABINET
MR MALLABY
OFFICE CABINET OFFICE
MR D B C CHRISTOMER. CABINET OFF.
SIR P CRADDOCK, No. 10 DOWNING ST.
CONFIDENTIAL
115
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