CONFIDENTIAL
FM WASHINGTON
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
CONFIDENTIAL-
18
MKD 243/8
TELNO 2074
OF 262114Z AUGUST 88
INFO DESKBY 2703OOZ HONG KONG
INFO PRIORITY PEKING
693
30 AUG 1988
TOP COPY
N
Sa DIST ?
703
704
020643
MDHIAN 1489
HONG KONG TELNOS 3152 AND 3170: VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE IN HONG KONG: US GOVERNMENT'S VIEWS
SUMMARY
1. CHINESE ACCOUNT OF WHITEHEAD'S COMMENTS IS BROADLY ACCURATE. BUT STATE TELL US THAT HE WAS SPEAKING OFF THE CUFF AND REGRET THAT HE DID SO.
DETAIL
2. A CONTACT ON THE CHINA DESK IN STATE HAS SHOWN US PRIVATELY A COPY OF THE US REPORTING TELEGRAM ON WHITEHEAD'S DISCUSSION WITH XU JIATUN. THIS WAS GENERALLY IN LINE WITH THE ACCOUNT GIVEN IN HONG KONG BY JI SHAOXIANG, ALTHOUGH THE US REPORT DID NOT QUOTE WHITEHEAD AS ASKING XU TO QUOTE USE HIS OWN INFLUENCE UNQUOTE.
3. ACCORDING TO THE STATE DEPARTMENT CABLE, WHITEHEAD RAISED THE VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE ISSUE TOWARDS THE END OF A HALF- HOUR DISCUSSION. HE NOTED THATHONG KONG HAD LONG BEEN RECEPTIVE TO VIETNAMESE REFUGEES. HE HAD HIMSELF EARLIER BEEN IMPRESSED WITH THE COMPASSION SHOWN TO THESE POEPLE IN HONG KONG. HOWEVER, THE ATTITUDE OF THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT SEEMED TO HAVE CHANGED RECENTLY. THIS WAS A MATTER OF GREAT CONCERN TO THE US. XU SAID THAT IT WAS OF CONCERN TO THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT ALSO. BUT SINCE HONG KONG WAS UNDER A BRITISH ADMINISTRATION THEY DID NOT FEEL IT APPROPRIATE TO COMMENT. WHITEHEAD ASKED THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT TO KEEP THIS PROBLEM IN MIND. HE ADDED THAT THE US HOPED THAT OTHER COUNTRIES WOULD PLAY A LARGER ROLE IN RESETTLING INDO-CHINESE REFUGEES.
4.
WE SUBSEQUENTLY ASKED WILLIAMS (DIRECTOR OF THE CHINA OFFICE IN STATE) VERY INFORMALLY WHY WHITEHEAD HAD CHOSEN TO MAKE SUCH REMARKS, PARTICULARLY TO XU. WILLIAMS IMMEDIATELY SAID THAT WHITEHEAD HAD NOT BEEN BRIEFED TO DO SO. HE HAD MIS-STATED THE OFFICIAL US ATTITUDE TO HONG KONG'S NEW POLICY, WHICH REMAINED AS SET OUT IN THE STATE DEPARTMENT PRESS STATEMENT IN JUNE COUR TELNO 1512). IT WAS DOUBLY UNFORTUNATE THAT WHITEHEAD HAD CHOSEN TO RAISE IT WITH XU: CHINA EXPERTS IN STATE HAD BEEN
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CONFIDENTIAL
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