CONFIDENTIAL
HKD 340/18
024488
MDHIAN 5591
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CONFIDENTIAL
FM PEKING
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 2040
OF 220853Z NOVEMBER 89
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
YOUR TELNO 2338 TO HONG KONG.
REMARKS BY LI HOU AND LU PING: NATIONALITY.
WE ARE ALSO UNAWARE OF ANY PREVIOUS REMARKS BY THE CHINESE
SIMILAR TO THOSE OF LI HOU AND LU PING REPORTED IN HONG KONG
TELNO 3836 TO YOU. WHEN LU PING WAS ASKED ABOUT THIS SUBJECT
BEFORE HE SIMPLY REPLIED THAT IT WAS A MATTER FOR THE BRITISH
SIDE (UNFORTUNATELY OUR REFERENCE FOR THESE REMARKS APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN DESTROYED DURING THE SUMMER). HOWEVER, WE NOTE FROM YOUR TELNO 65 TO LISBON THAT OUR ASSESSMENT IN APRIL WAS THAT
THE CHINESE HAD BEEN CAREFUL NOT TO COMMENT ON THE RIGHT OF ABODE
QUESTION BECAUSE THEY ASSUMED THAT THE EXTENSION OF FULL BRITISH
CITIZENSHIP TO HONG KONG BDTCS COULD BE SAFELY RULED OUT.
IF THIS ASSESSMENT WAS ACCURATE, WHICH WE THINK IT WAS, IT IS NOT SURPRISING THAT THE CHINESE NOW FEEL THE NEED TO COMMENT.
LI'S REMARKS IN PARA 9 OF HONG KONG TELNO 3836 SUGGEST THAT MUCH
WILL DEPEND ON THE FINAL NUMBERS TO BENEFIT FROM THE NATIONALITY
PACKAGE. THE REMARKS SHOULD ALSO BE SEEN IN THE CONTEXT OF
CHINESE SUSPICIONS THAT WE INTEND TO MAINTAIN UNDUE INFLUENCE
AFTER 1997 BY NEFARIOUS MEANS (CF MY TELNO 2032).
DONALD
YYYY
ΜΑΙΝ
58
DISTRIBUTION
61
.HONG KONG AGREEMENT
.(RESTRICTED)
LIMITED
HKD
HD/FED
NEWS D
PS/MR MAUDE
PS/LORD BRABAZON
MR GILLMORE
MR MCLAREN
PAGE
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CONFIDENTIAL
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