TNAG-1882-FCO40-2673-Relations-between-Hong-Kong-and-China-Chinese-complaints-con-1989 — Page 51

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OF DIFFERENT NATIONALITIES WORKED, BUT SO WAS LONDON. NO GOVERNMENT WOULD ALLOW ITS TERRITORY TO BE INTERNATIONALISED. ACCORDING TO THE JD, UNTIL 1997 HONG KONG WAS ENTIRELY A MATTER BETWEEN BRITAIN AND CHIΝΑ. AFTER 1997 HONG KONG WOULD BE A SPECIAL AMINISTRATIVE REGION OF THE PR C, AND THUS ITS AFFAIRS WOULD BE THE INTERNAL AFFAIRS OF CHINA. OTHER COUNTRIES OR INTERNATIONAL

ORGANISATIONS HAD NO RIGHT TO INTERFERE.

5. THE JD HAD NEEDED LONG AND DIFFICULT NEGOTIATION BEFORE THE

TWO SIDES REACHED AGREEMENT. DURING THESE NEGOTIATIONS, THE BRITISH SIDE, IN ORDER TO PRESERVE ITS INFLUENCE IN HONG KONG AFTER 1997, HAD MADE A SERIES OF UNREASONABLE DEMANDS, INCLUDING

INTERNATIONALISING HONG KONG. THESE THE CHINESE HAD REFUSED. NOW, FOLLOWING THE EVENTS OF JUNE, SOME PEOPLE ON THE BRITISH SIDE WERE TRYING TO USE THE ''CONFIDENCE CARD'' THE 'PUBLIC OPINION CARD''

AND THE ''INTERNATIONALISATION CARD TO OBTAIN WHAT THEY

HAD FAILED TO ACHIEVE IN THE NEGOTIATIONS. SOME POLITICAL FIGURES

IN BRITAIN HAD NOT ABANDONED THEIR PLAN OF MAKING HONG KONG AFTER

1997 AN INDEPENDENT OR SEMI-INDEPENDENT STATE UNDER BRITISH

INFLUENCE.

T

6. THE CHINESE PEOPLE HAD NOT RECOGNISED THE UNEQUAL TREATIES

IMPOSED BY HEGEMONISM. TODAY WHEN THE CHINESE PEOPLE HAD STOOD UP, HONG KONG'S RETURN TO CHINA AND THE RESTORATION OF CHINESE

SOVEREIGNTY IN HONG KONG WAS RIGHT AND PROPER. ANY ATTEMPT TO

UNDERMINE CHINA'S SOVEREIGNTY IN HONG KONG OR TO ALLOW HONG KONG TO SPLIT FROM THE MAINLAND WAS DOOMED TO FAILURE. THE CHINESE POLICIES OF OPENING UP AND REFORM AND OF 'ONE COUNTRY, TWO

SYSTEMS HAD NOT CHANGED. CHINA WOULD RESOLUTELY IMPLEMENT THE

JD. CHINA HOPED THAT IN THE INTERESTS OF HONG KONG'S PROSPERITY

AND SINO-UK LONG TERM INTERESTS, THE BRITISH SIDE WOULD ADOPT A SENSIBLE AND REALISTIC ATTITUDE, ACT RIGOROUSLY IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE JD AND NOT DO ANYTHING ELSE TO DAMAGE BILATERAL RELATIONS

AND HURT THE FEELINGS OF THE CHINESE PEOPLE. ONLY THEN COULD BILATERAL RELATIONS BE PUT BACK ON A NORMAL FOOTING, COOPERATION BE RESUMED ON THE BASIS OF THE JD AND HONG KONG'S FUTURE ONCE

AGAIN BE BRIGHT.

COMMENT.

7. THERE IS LITTLE IN THIS ARTICLE THAT IS IN ITSELF NEW.

HOWEVER, THE STRIDENT TONE OF THE ARTICLE AND THE FACT THAT THE ATTACK IS BEING MADE PUBLIC RAISES THE ANTE. THE ARTICLE MAKES

CLEAR THAT NORMAL COOPERATION, PRESUMABLY INCLUDING IN THE JLG,

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