TNAG-1597-FCO40-2182-Hong-Kong-1987-Review-of-Representative-Government-1987 — Page 120

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(vi) to keep abreast of, and where possible to influence, their

own thinking on these issues.

18. A full range of channels will have to be used. The

relationship between the Secretary of State and Wu Xueqian will

continue to be of particular importance. It will have to be

supplemented, as the need and opportunity arises, by other contacts.

These might include demarches by Sir R Evans, visits to Peking by

the new Governor of Hong Kong (but he will wish to establish himself

in Hong Kong first), visits by other Hong Kong officials and visits

by Chinese officials to Hong Kong. In addition the views of the

people of Hong Kong will reach the Chinese in a variety of ways both

direct and indirect.

19.

Taking into account what we know at this stage about

ministerial movements, the following is a proposed chronology of

main contacts with the Chinese over the 1987 Review:

JANUARY 1987

Message from Secretary of State to Wu, which could

be linked to the Chinese New Year at the end of

the month.

Refers to 1987 as an important year for Hong

Kong and expresses the hope that there will be

the closest possible dialogue between the

British and Chinese Governments about the

issues that will arise;

recalls, with reference to what Zhou Nan said

to the late Governor in December, that we are

approaching the 1987 Review with a totally open mind and without pre-judgement;

expresses the hope that the two ministers might

be able to meet in March during Wu's visit to

Europe, and subsequently during the ESCAP

meeting in Bangkok at the end of April.

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