CONFIDENTIAL
021755
MDTTAN 0656
TO GUANGXI BY HKG OFFICIALS COULD NOT HAVE ACHIEVED ANYTHING
MORE THAN HE AND HIS COLLEAGUES COULD WITH THEIR LOCAL KNOWLEDGE.
4. THE TENOR OF XU'S REMARKS SUGGESTS THAT THE CHINESE BELIEVE THAT THEY ARE DOING ALL THEY CAN TO SMOOTH THE PATH OF
RESETTLEMENT IN CHINA FOR THE REFUGEES. IN THIS CONTEXT THEY SEE
HONG KONG'S LIBERALISATION POLICY AS UNHELPFUL IN THAT IT HAS ENCOURAGED THE HITHERTO QUIESCENT REFUGEE POPULATION IN SOUTH CHINA TO HEAD FOR HONG KONG. THIS LINE COULD, OF COURSE, ALSO BE A RATIONALISATION OF CHINA'S OWN FAILURE TO KEEP UP SUFFICIENT CONTROLS AND DISINCENTIVES.
5.
IT MAY HAVE BEEN PURELY COINCIDENTAL THAT, FOLLOWING OUR DISCUSSIONS IN THE MFA ON SEVERAL LEVELS CONCERNING THIS ISSUE, MR. XU WAS INVITED TO JOIN THE MINISTER'S DINNER PARTY. ON THE OTHER HAND IT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN.
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I AM COPYING THIS TELELETTER TO R.A.J KONG AND TO SE A D AND F E D, F C O
ཟ
BUNTEN, APA(G), HONG
H K D REGISTRY, F C O PLEASE PASS TO S E A D AND FE D, F C 0.
ANDREW PYNE.
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