TNAG-1871-FCO40-2659-Relations-between-Hong-Kong-and-China-1989 — Page 14

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DISMAY?

head on would achieve nothing in human rights'

terms and serve only to alienate them and make them less responsive. The Chinese profess that the fundamental rights prescribed in the Chinese Constitution and related laws are by no means inferior to and in some ways even superior to those prescribed in the Universal Declaration

of Human Rights. We should urge them to live up to these

standards. WITHOUT OF COURSE TACKLING THEM HEMIOON?]

4. Tibet is both part of the general question and a

particular case in itself. We should distinguish these

aspects. Chinese actions in Tibet do of course reflect

their general attitude towards human rights. But Tibet

is also different. The Chinese consider, with some

justification, that the riots there have been provoked by

"separatists" seeking independence. It is not for us to

encourage any moves towards "independence", and we should also avoid taking action which might compromise our

position with the Chinese over the status of Tibet.

have, nonetheless, expressed concern over events there

and regretted that the Chinese felt it necessary to impose Martial Law. Our general line should be to continue to urge the Chinese to engage in genuine

dialogue and to pursue the liberal, social and economic

reform programme on which they themselves claim to have

embarked.

We

WHAT

EXACTLY?

5. For us the picture is of course complicated by Hong Kong. Miss Bailes puts the problem succinctly (paragraph 2). On the one hand, we need to do everything we can to

ensure future Chinese respect for human rights within

CS 8AAU

/Hong Kong

2

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