CONFIDENTIAL
110060 MDHIAN 0178
THOUGHT IT WRONG TO GO AHEAD WITH IT. WE HAD ALSO CONSIDERED IT WRONG TO ASK THE CHINESE TO SUBMIT A BID TO HOLD AN EXCO IN 2001. THERE WOULD BE NO TIME FOR THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES TO CONSIDER THEIR POSITION BEFORE THE DEADLINE FOR THE SUBMISSION OF BIDS LATER
THIS MONTH. WE ALSO HAD AT THE BACK OF OUR MINDS A RESPONSIBILITY AND DESIRE TO CREATE THE RIGHT SORT OF FOUNDATION FOR THE SAR, NOT TO CREATE POTENTIAL PROBLEMS OR DEBTS FOR THE SARG IF THE EXPOT TURNED OUT NOT TO BE SUCCESSFUL.
6.
IN GENERAL, THINGS IN HONG KONG WERE GOING WELL. THIS WAS NOT TO SAY THAT THERE WERE NO PROBLEMS. THERE WERE PEOPLE IN HONG KONG WHO WERE STILL NERVOUS AND UNCERTAIN ABOUT THE FUTURE: SOME HONG KONG PEOPLE FROM THE MANAGERIAL AND PROFESSIONAL CLASSES WERE EMIGRATING TO CANADA, AUSTRALIA AND THE US: THERE WAS THE PRACTICAL PROBLEM OF VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE: AND THERE WERE DAY TO DAY PROBLEMS OF THE SORT FACING ANY GOVERNMENT, EG OVER HEATING OF THE ECONOMY. VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE POSED ONE OF THE BIGGEST PRACTICAL PROBLEMS AT PRESENT. WE WERE GRATEFUL FOR THE EFFORTS MADE BY THE CPG IN ASKING PEOPLE IN THE PROVINCES NOT TO ASSIST VBPS ON THEIR WAY TO HONG KONG. THE NUMBER OF ARRIVALS SINCE MID-SEPTEMBER HAD DECLINED SHARPLY BUT THERE WERE STILL SOME VBPS ARRIVING INCLUDING ONE GROUP WHICH HAD BOUGHT A BOAT IN CHINA. WE HAD GIVEN DETAILS TO THE NCNA. WE NEEDED TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM OR WE WOULD FACE HUGE PRACTICAL DIFFICULTIES.
7. WE VERY MUCH WELCOMED THE RECENT VISIT TO HONG KONG BY A SERIES OF CHINESE LEADERS INCLUDING TIAN JIYUN, JI PENGFEI AND MAINLAND BLDC DRAFTERS. THESE HAD GONE WELL AND HAD HELPED TO CREATE AN ATMOSPHERE OF COOPERATION BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES ON MATTERS REGARDING THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG. I FELT SURE THIS ATMOSPHERE WOULD BE FURTHER STRENGTHENED WHEN ZHOU HIMSELF CAME TO HONG KONG IN 1989. WE HAD DISCUSSED THIS THE NIGHT BEFORE AND ZHOU HAD PROVISIONALLY SAID HE COULD COME IN EARLY MARCH.
8. ZHOU THANKED ME FOR THIS SUMMARY AND SAID THAT HIS VIEWS ON THE GENERAL SITUATION IN HONG KONG WERE BASICALLY IDENTICAL. HE AGREED THAT THE SITUATION WAS GENERALLY VERY GOOD AND THAT HONG KONG HAD, FOR SOME TIME, BEEN BECOMING MORE AND MORE PROSPEROUS. BOTH SIDES HAD OFTEN EMPHASISED THE NEED TO MAINTAIN PROSPERITY AND STABILITY: THE TWO WERE INSEPERABLE. ECONOMIC COOPERATION BETWEEN HONG KONG AND SOUTHERN CHINA, ESPECIALLY GUANGDONG, HAD DEVELOPED IN RECENT YEARS AND HAD BROUGHT BENEFITS TO BOTH SIDES. THIS SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED. ZHOU HOPED THAT SUCH COOPERATION COULD BE FURTHER EXPANDED INTO NEW FIELDS. HE HOPED THAT I MIGHT DISCUSS THIS
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