TNAG-1853-FCO40-2628-House-of-Commons-Select-Committee-on-Foreign-Affairs-enquiry-1989 — Page 2

UNCLASSIFIED

HKB 01)

| 3

ECEIVED IN RETRY

516

(3+)

070730

MDTTAN 8495

Mr Marn's

Good. Let's hope

UNCLASSIFIED

FM PEKING

TO TELELETTER F C O

17 JUL 1990

it lasts.

TELELETTER FILE REFERENCE 020/393/1419.

OF 060103Z DECEMBER 89

AND TO TELELETTER HONG KONG, ÜKREP. JLG HONG KONG

fa

BAC

Pu

6/12

FROM

FILE REFERENCE

FOLLOWING FOR

COPIED TO

SC RIORDAN, CHANCERY, PEKING

: 020/393/19 DATED 6 DECEMBER 1989

:

MS PAMELA MAJOR, H K D, F CO

: RAJ BUNTEN ESQ, APA (G), HONG KONG

MRS E BOSHER, G D B, HONG KONG

GH LEICESTER ESQ, UKREP JLG HONG KONG

THE B2175H Position ON THE

RETURN

OF

CHINESE MEDIA REPORTS ON THE FAC ENQUIRY.

1 NCNA ON 1 DECEMBER CARRIED THE FOLLOWING REPORT :

QUOTE : THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT SAID TODAY IN A WHITE PAPER THAT IT

WILL CONTINUE DIALOGUE WITH CHINA ON HONG KONG, DUE TO RETURN TO CHINESE RULE IN 1997.

ACCORDING TO THE WHITE PAPER, THE GOVERNMENT KNOWS OF NO SERIOUS ARGUMENT THAT PROSPECTS FOR HONG KONG WOULD BE BETTER IF

THE 1984 SINO-BRITISH JOINT DECLARATION ON HANDING IT OVER TO CHINA WAS ABANDONED.

/

TO TEAR UP OR RENEGE THE JOINT DECLARATION AND TO BREAK OFF NEGOTIATIONS WITH CHINA IS NOT AN OPTION'' THE PAPER SAID.

THE WHITE PAPER ALSO DEFENDED THE GOVERNMENT'S ARRANGEMENTS FOR SENDING BACK BOAT PEOPLE TO VIETNAM. UNQUOTE.

2. THE PEOPLE'S DAILY COVERSEAS EDITION) ON 4 DECEMBER CARRIED A SIMILAR REPORT, ADDING THAT THE WHITE PAPER ALSO ARGUED IN FAVOUR OFVVBPS TO VIETNAM, SAYING THAT THIS POSITION HAD ACHIEVED THE APPROVAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY.

3. SO FAR WE HAVE SEEN NO (NO) OTHER REPORTS IN THE CHINESE MEDIA ABOUT THE PUBLICATON OF THE WHITE PAPER, NOR ANY COMMENT ON ITS COMMENTS.

4. I AM COPYING THIS TELELETTER TO R AJ BUNTEN ESQ APA(G), MRS E BOSHER G D B, HONG KONG AND G H LEICESTER ESQ UKREP JLG HONG KONG.

1

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