14 June 1989]
[Chairman Conid]
THE FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
RT HON SIR GEOFFREY HOWE, QC, MP, MR R MCLAREN and MR A PAUL
on foreign journalists which began to manifest itself some days or even weeks ago has been stepped up and British journalists have been fin- ding it increasingly difficult to go about their work without harassment. So that all that is the picture disclosed in the media; and it is resting on the consolidation of authority by veteran leaders so far as we can tell centred round the authority of Deng Xiaoping with the Prime Minister Li Peng speak- ing in the name of that group in which the old guard have consolidated and increased their influence. Alongside that, the claim has been maintained that economic policy is not being fundamentally changed. Deng Xiaoping seems to maintain/the policies of reform and openness to the outside world will continue. That indeed was the presen- tation made to me when I saw the Chinese Chargé here some eight days ago. Of course, what is mani- festly not realised in any significant way at all in Peking is the immense damage done to confidence, not just the confidence of the Chinese people them- selves-and "confidence" is much too bland a word for it—the shattering impact upon their mor- ale and aspirations of what has happened. But that is a direct consequential effect upon the confidence of those who have been seeking to share the econ- freiomic opportunities and the opening up of the future of what was happening in China. That is This reflected in extent to such a tremendous interlock- Vesicasing of the Hong Kong economy. The Chinese econ- inks to Choomy particularly in the neighbourhood of Hong The Kong still of course persists, but it is bound to be Horny Kaly
affected by the events of the last weeks.
Lait (recillas
༨གཎས་ཀ༥,
7
.
937. But it is your impression, then, is it, that there is a government in Beijing which is broadly in control both of the capital and the provinces; and obviously we are thinking in this Committee rather of the provinces neighbouring Hong Kong? It is your impression that government exists rather than a suggested amenity argument from the news of the horror which came through that there might be another one?
(Sir Geoffrey Howe) Everything one says about China, even in communications as open as they were before the atrocious events of a couple of weeks ago, is less than perfect; one is looking through a thousand glasses darkly, and now even more so. But so far as I can judge, Yes, there is an authority in place in Peking which is exercising effective power in Peking and to a substantial extent throughout the rest of the country. But, clearly, there were wide differences, wider than mere nuances, between what is happening and what is being said in Peking and what is happening in other places. I put forward the reaction to reports of what has been said by the mayor of Shanghai, for example, which express a different attitude towards the use of armed force to that which is displayed in Peking. So undoubtedly there are wide vari- ations in the practical impact of the authority. But I think there has been a nation-wide impact of the consolidation of the hard line in Peking, one cannot doubt.
Mr Bowen Wells
349
[Continued
938. Can I ask you, Foreign Secretary, what during this period? The news gave the impression knowledge you have of the role of the military
at one time that the military was not loyal to the leadership, or part of it was not, and that other brought in in order to carry out the horrific scenes stronger, loyal elements to the leadership had to be
we saw on television. What evidence do you have that the military is loyal throughout China now to the leadership, or are there differences in the military attitude to the Government?
(Sir Geoffrey Howe) Again, the reports we have confirm the reports that were current at the time of these original events in Peking, suggesting that there were significant differences between the atti- tude of the different elements in the military. On the other hand, it looks as though the effective authority has been imposed as a result of Deng Xiaoping's de facto authority as chairman of the military authority, his ability to mobilise sufficient of the military to make that effective; but there are clearly wide variations throughout the country. That is why everything one says has to be hedged around with qualifications. I think the most important and the most unmeasureable qualifi- cation is the extent to which there has now spread throughout China a structure of knowledge, structure of openness, a structure of experience from contact with the rest of the world which has clearly had a decisive and powerful influence upon the attitudes of many people in the cadres of government. That openness, that aspect, clearly is not being displayed currently. But I think one must attach some importance to the extent to which it had made its way within the structure of China. I am looking now for a brighter component because it is difficult to believe that all that happened in the last decade has been submerged without trace.
Mr Rowlands
939. Foreign Secretary, do you think that we did not get across either as the British Government or indeed collectively with others the message to the assembly period that action of the kind that did Chinese authorities during the course of that happen in the end would have a profound and disturbing effect on relationships? I have a feeling in the seven-week period our voice was muted and
the actual events occurred. But did we really get muzzled. It has obviously been very strong since
that message across during the course of the seven weeks?
(Sir Geoffrey Howe) I think that our voice and the voice of the rest of the world has been much of the same authority throughout all of that. We have, in addition to the general expressions of interest and concern during the period when the democratic group appeared to be making headway, obviously taken the opportunities open to us in the Hong Kong dialogue to emphasise the continuing importance of respect of the obligations undertaken towards us.
Frankly, I think that it is very difficult to con- clude that any variation in the impact of the outside world would have affected very signifi-
Much-]
for
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