TNAG-1872-FCO40-2660-Relations-between-Hong-Kong-and-China-1989 — Page 16

CONFIDENTIAL

071316 MDHIAN 1854

CHINA.

3.

I SAID THAT THERE WAS A STRONG MOOD IN HONG KONG IN FAVOUR OF FASTER PROGRESS TOWARDS DEMOCRACY. ZHU REPLIED THAT HE HOPED THE AUTHORITIES IN HONG KONG AND THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT WOULD NOT GO TOO FAST. IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT THAT MOVES FOR GREATER DEMOCRACY SHOULD TAKE PLACE GRADUALLY AND WITH GREAT CIRCUMSPECTION. THIS WAS OF THE UTMOST IMPORTANCE.

4.

REVERTING TO THE EVENTS IN PEKING ON 3/4 JUNE, I SAID THAT THE FACT THAT UNITS OF THE PEOPLE'S LIBERATION ARMY WOULD BE STATIONED IN HONG KONG AFTER 1997 WAS CAUSING THE GRAVEST DISTRESS IN HONG KONG AT THIS TIME. I SAID THAT PERSONALLY I DID NOT SEE WHY THERE NEED BE MORE THAN A TOKEN PRESENCE AND THAT IT WAS FAR BETTER IF ANY TROOPS IN THE REGION WERE KEPT WELL BACK IN GUANGDONG OR SHENZHEN. ZHU SAID THAT HE UNDERSTOOD THE CONCERN, BUT MADE NO FURTHER COMMENT. I ALSO SAID THAT IF HE WAS DISCUSSING HONG KONG WITH COLLEAGUES IN PEKING HE SHOULD DRAW THEIR ATTENTION TO THE CONCERN IN HONG KONG AT THE IMPLICATIONS OF ARTICLE 18 OF THE DRAFT BASIC LAW TO THE EFFECT THAT THE STANDING COMMITTEE OF THE NPC COULD IF NECESSARY DECLARE A STATE OF EMERGENCY IF THERE WAS TURMOIL IN HONG KONG. IT WAS PRECISELY THE DECLARATION OF A STATE OF EMERGENCY IN PEKING WHICH HAD LED TO THE INTERVENTION OF THE PLA IN PEKING ON 3/4 JUNE. I SAID THAT I COULD NOT EXAGGERATE THE DEGREE OF WORRY THAT THIS HAS CAUSED AMONG HONG KONG PEOPLE.

5. ZHU SAID MORE THAN ONCE THAT HE KNEW I HAD HAD SOME YEARS OF EXPERIENCE OF CHINA AND THAT HE COULD THEREFORE TALK IN A FRIENDLY AND PERSONAL WAY WITH ME. I SAID TO HIM THAT IF HE HAD ANY SUITABLE OPPORTUNITY WHEN HE GOT BACK TO PEKING HE MIGHT SUGGEST IN THE MFA THAT SOME STATEMENT OR ACTION BY THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT TO ALLAY THOSE FEARS WHICH I HAD MENTIONED ABOUT THE PLA COULD DO MUCH TO HELP TO RESTORE THE CONFIDENCE IN HONG KONG WHICH HAD BEEN SO BADLY SHATTERED OVER THE PAST FEW WEEKS. ZHU HEARD ME OUT BUT MADE NO COMMENT IN REPLY. HE RETURNED HOWEVER TO THE THEME THAT CHINA HAD NO INTENTION OF INTERFERING IN HONG KONG'S AFFAIRS BUT WOULD TAKE EXCEPTION TO HOSTILE ACTS LAUNCHED FROM HONG KONG AT THE C P G. I SAID THAT HE KNEW WELL THAT THERE WAS NO QUESTION OF THE KMT BEING ALLOWED TO GET UP TO ANY MISCHIEF IN HONG KONG. IT WAS CLEAR HOWEVER THAT ZHU WAS MOST WORRIED ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF ACTIVITIES ORIGINATING IN HONG KONG, LIKE THE SENDING OF MONEY TO THE STUDENTS IN TIANANMEN SQUARE, OR OTHERWISE GIVING SUPPORT IN A TANGIBLE WAY TO ELEMENTS IN CHINA WHICH WERE AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT. FOR THE REST HE REPEATED SEVERAL TIMES

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