TNAG-1375-FCO40-1822-Visits-by-Chinese-officials-to-Hong-Kong-1985 — Page 111

JH1 ABS

CONFIDENTIAL

Mu

Dr Wilson

PS/

galoforthey

HKD

an ance agreed

Da

A C Galsworthy, HK D

FROM:

To the

proposco

DATE:

11 July 1985

achin

tuce

Amenchuson

Ars/au huce 15/7.

CC:

Mr Elliott, FED

OFFICIAL CHINESE VISITORS TO HONG KONG

HKK 027/10

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

1 3 JUL 1985

DESK OFFICER

RECISTRY

INDEX

PA

Action Taken

PROBLEM

1.

Whether to invite Ji Pengfei to visit Hong Kong.

RECOMMENDATION

2.

I recommend that we authorise the Embassy in Peking

Peking to tell

Chinese officials that we would welcome Ji Pengfei and other Chinese Leaders involved with Hong Kong matters as visitors to Hong Kong and

that the Hong Kong Government would be happy to arrange tours of

Hong Kong for other senior Chinese visitors transitting

territory. I submit a draft telegram to Peking. Hong Kong agree.

the

BACKGROUND AND ARGUMENT

3. Ji Pengfei is the 75 year old Director of the Hong Kong and Macau office of the State Council, a member of Central Committee and a State Councillor. He is the most senior Chinese official dealing

directly with the question of Hong Kong and has just been appointed Chairman of the Basic Law Drafting Committee.

A 4.

On 20 June Ji told the Ambassador in Peking that he had never

a disadvantage as visited Hong Kong, and said that this put him at

Chairman

the of

Law Basic

that it Drafting Committee. He hoped

might be possible to visit Hong Kong in due course.

Governor The

put this to

on EXCO

B 5.

2 July, and they advised in favour of encouraging visits from time to time by Chinese officials substantial working interest in the future of Hong Kong, with

with a

CONFIDENTIAL