TNAG-1720-FCO40-2400-Hong-Kong-1987-Review-of-Representative-Government-1988 — Page 42

SECRET

THIS IS A COPY

THE ORIGINAL HAS BEEN

CLOSED UNDER

FOI EXEMPTION NO....27 (1)

--------

#

Your second despatch offers a useful summary of

1987 could have been a developments over the past year.

A.

very difficult year in terms of our relations with China over Hong Kong. We have come through in relatively good shape

-

You are right to point out that we have brought the Chinese a significant way since 1984 from the last-minute concession of an elected legislature after 1997 to acquiescence in a directly-elected element in LegCo from 1991 onwards. The Secretary of State was particularly struck by this point, and has suggested that we need to do more to get it across to sceptical public opinion.

5.

The eventual outcome of the review of representative government was virtually identical to the preferred scenario in the strategy paper agreed between the Department and yourselves in January 1987. The alternative scenario which we identified, one founded on overwhelming public support in Hong Kong for direct elections in 1988, would as you say have been an acutely uncomfortable one to handle.

6.

We are

For the future your despatch identifies problems of both presentation and substance to be tackled. both seeking to improve our presentation, particularly to opinion in Britain, of our policies on representative government in Hong Kong. On substance we are considering together what arrangements for the establishment of the first government of the Hong Kong SAR would offer an acceptable balance between acknowledgement of the change in sovereignty and the required degree of structural continuity. Finally Ministers were particularly struck by the importance of the questions related to the internal functioning of the administration which you identify as needing further study. In their forthcoming visits to Hong Kong I think the Secretary of State and Lord Glenarthur will be particularly interested to discuss with you how you propose to take this work forward.

7.

Cc:

I am copying this letter to HM Ambassador in Peking.

Ү

сисл

CO Hum

Alan Donald Esq, HM Ambassador, Peking

SECRET