C
Dear Charles,
CONFIDENTIAL
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
London SW1A 2AH
010/2
LCEIVED IN/RT-
9 June 1986
13 JUN 1986
DESK OFFICE*
INDEX
PA
ken
33
Hong Kong: Sir Y K Pao's Call on the Prime Minister,
10 June 1986
When Sir Y K Pao met the Foreign Secretary over breakfast this morning he said it was now the Chinese view that a Hong Kong Chinese Deputy Governor (ie Chief Secretary) should be appointed before long, perhaps in the next one or two years.
Sir Y K later mentioned the same point to me after the signature ceremony at No 10. He added that in the Chinese view the Deputy Governor should be a neutral person. His appointment should be a matter for consultation between Britain and China. I had an impression that Sir Y K might well be thinking of himself. He said he was thinking of raising this with the Prime Minister during his call tomorrow.
We cannot be certain that Sir Y K's assertion accurately represents Chinese thinking, though he has in the past sometimes correctly reflected Chinese views in Hong Kong. We have not heard of this suggestion from any Chinese source. The question of how best to achieve continuity in government structure up to and beyond 1997 (perhaps by the appointment of a Hong Kong Chinese as a Chief Executive some years in advance of that date) is a matter of great sensitivity which we are beginning to discuss with the Executive Council, and will need eventually to discuss with the Chinese. We recommend therefore that the Prime Minister might best take a non-committal line if Sir Y K raises the matter. She might express interest in the idea; agree that there is a need for continuity up to and beyond 1997; and say that we would be giving further thought to how this might best be achieved, and would in due course no doubt need to discuss the matter with the Chinese side.
Yuus ever,
туваний
(A C Galsworthy) Private Secretary
C D Powell Esq
PS/10 Downing Street
CONFIDENTIAL
T
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