TNAG-1868-FCO40-2656-Relations-between-Hong-Kong-and-Taiwan-1989 — Page 30

2nd August 1989

From: Dame Jill Knight, D B.E., M.P.

Foreign Secretary

Rt Hon John Major MP

c/o House of Commons

Westminster

HOUSE OF COMMONS

LONDON SWIA 0AA

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draft reply from Sofs by 17 August

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On Monday the 24th July at 4.00pm I had an appointment with Geoffrey to bring with me a Delegation from the Friends of Hong Kong Group, of which I am President. I had planned to bring Vice Admiral Sir John Roxburgh, Chairman, and three members of the Council Sir Ian Percival QC, Mr Ronald Baxter and Dr Tsang.

Because of the Cabinet changes, the meeting was cancelled at two hours' notice. This was too late to prevent the participants from journeying to London and I therefore held a discussion with them instead, and it was agreed that, in the event of a change in post, I should send a letter to the new incumbent.

I felt it right to wait for a week or so before setting down the matters which are giving our Group such great concern, and I now do so in the form of certain questions to you, Foreign Secretary.

I have noted with very great interest a report of your meeting in Paris this week with Mr Qian Qichen and I have no doubt, from that report, that you will understand very well our great concern about certain matters in Hong Kong and the implications for the Colony of recent happenings in China.

The questions we wish to put to you are as follows:-

1.

2.

3.

*

you intend to ensure improvements in the basic law tishing Hong Kong's constitution after 1997 ?

We presume you are following the line Geoffrey put to the House on July 15th with regard to the Peoples Liberation Army and the Chinese Government's powers to declaring a state of emergency in Hong Kong under Article 18. Is there likelihood of getting a change agreed ?

Would there be any possibility of China agreeing to Britain's leasing the Colony for a further period of 50 years after 1997? You will no doubt have seen this suggestion put forward elsewhere. It is recognised that the annual leasing fee might well have be high but it could be paid by the Hong Kong Chinese themselves and there are certainly advantages to China in making such a deal. The advantages to ourselves and to the Colony are self-evident.

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Rt Hon John Major MP Foreign Secretary

c/o House of Commons Westminster