CONFIDENTIAL
30
174261
MDLIAN 0496
CONFIDENTIAL
FM UKREP JLG HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 186
OF 021005Z AUGUST 89
HKC031/22
испра
INFO ROUTINE PEKING, HONG KONG NC
HKC031/19 31
TOP COPY Q DIST ?
MIPT: JLG XIII: PRACTICAL ARRANGEMENTS: SUMMARY TRANSLATION
THE FOLLOWING IS THE TRANSLATION OF A REPORT IN THE HONG KONG ECONOMIC TIMES OF 2 AUGUST 1989 ON THE RESUMPTION OF THE JLG MEETING. QUOTING A CHINESE SOURCE, THE PAPER SAYS THAT BRITAIN TAKES THE INITIATIVE TO PROPOSE RESUMPTION OF JLG DISCUSSIONS IN ORDER TO COORDINATE WITH HER POLICIES ON HONG KONG. SUCH BRITISH POLICIES FOR HONG KONG INCLUDED PROPOSALS TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO REMAIN IN HONG KONG, THE PACE OF CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT AFTER 1991: THE BILL OF RIGHT: AND THE INTERNATIONALISATION OF HONG KONG.
2.
THE SOURCE ADDED THAT BY ATTRIBUTING THE CONFIDENCE CRISIS IN HONG KONG TO THE JUNE 4 INCIDENT, BRITAIN AIMS TO FORCE CHINA TO GIVE WAY ON CERTAIN MATTERS OF PRINCIPLES, E.G. THE STATIONING OF PLA IN THE SAR (PRIMARILY THE TAMAR SITE), THE RIGHT TO INTERPRET THE BASIC LAW, AND THE QUESTION OF CONVERGENCE.
3. HE SAID THAT THE CLAMOUR BY HONG KONG PEOPLE FOR THE RIGHT OF ABODE IN THE UNITED KINGDOM IS THE MOST SPECIFIC DEMONSTRATION OF THE LOSS OF CONFIDENCE BY HONG KONG PEOPLE. BRITAIN HAS SO FAR NOT ANNOUNCED ITS PROPOSAL BECAUSE IT WANTS TO USE THE SENTIMENTS OF HONG KONG PEOPLE AS BARGAINING LEVERAGE AGAINST THE CHINESE.
THE STRATEGY OF THE BRITISH SIDE WOULD BE SOMETHING LIKE THE FOLLOW- ING: IF THE CHINESE SIDE MADE GREAT CONCESSIONS IN DEFENCE, POLITICAL STRUCTURE AND THE INTERPRETATION OF THE BASIC LAW, THE SINCERITY OF THE CHINESE WOULD HAVE SO RESTORED CONFIDENCE THAT BRITISH PLANS TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO STAY IN HONG KONG WOULD MATTER LESS AND COULD EVEN BE SHELVED. IF, HOWEVER, CHINESE CONCE- SSIONS ARE NOT FORTHCOMING, THEN BRITAIN COULD RELAX RESTRICTIONS ON ENTRY BY HONG KONG PEOPLE INTO THE UK. IN THIS WAY, IT WOULD PLAY UP BRITISH RESPONSIBILITIES TOWARDS HONG KONG AND PUT SINO-HONG KONG RELATIONSHIP IN A STATE OF LONG- TERM TENSION AND HENCE UNDERMINE CONFIDENCE IN THE ''ONE COUNTRY TWO SYSTEMS'' PRINCIPLE.
4.
THE SOURCE CONCLUDED THAT HONG KONG PEOPLE SHOULD NOT
1
PAGE CONFIDENTIAL
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.