T
MAR 29 '88 13:46 HK GOVT. SF
Second Session
Joanne Chang, University of Maryland
China's Hong Kong Victory.
A Study of
PRC Negotiating Style 1982-84
Main points:
P.8
Because the PRC was
1. Why did the British make concessions?
able to establish psychological superiority and put them in a postion where they were prepared to concede in order to reach agreement.
2. The PRC statement of a non-negotiable principle i.e. their sovereignty and administrative rights over Hong Kong, is a usual pre-negotiation tactic designed to lower the expectations of the other side.
3. The use of time pressure/deadlines by the Chinese in order
to deny their opponents enough time to get their act together, but with the hint of concessions to come as bait, i.e. the unilateral imposition right from the start of the September 1984 deadline, together with the threat of an imposed solution if it was not met.
4. Once the opposition is softened up face-saving concessions
are granted.
5. The use of United Front tactics to undermine the British
position, e.g. by enlarging Hong Kong and Macau representation in the Chinese system, receiving and giving face to Hong Kong and Macau delegations, using "leaks", giving tasty morsels to important visitors from Hong Kong apparently on a personal and confidential basis to win their trust.
6. During the post-negotiation period the Chinese are still
maneuvering to extract the maximum advantage.
7. During the formulation of the Basic Law the PRC has arranged to leave the difficult bits to last to gain the confidence of the Hong Kong representatives involved and to soften them up so that a PRC designed formula will be accepted for the more difficult, and more important issues.
8. The BLDC and BLCC, composition and other aspects, are dominated
by the PRC.
9. whilst, despite the PRC overall victory, the J.D. negotiations
involved some give and take, the drafting of the B.L. is totally dominated by the Chinese.
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Private notes are available after approval.