CONFIDENTIAL
Singapore / Hong Kong file
71. enter
124155 MDHOAN 8890
Ry 10/10 HKB 020/7
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO IMMEDIATE SINGAPORE
TELNO 407
OF 0917OOZ OCTOBER 90
влівно
AND TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG, PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG M
نر
YOUR TELNO 463: LEE KUAN YEW'S VISIT TO CHINA: HONG KONG
1. GIVEN LEE'S STANDING AND THE HIGH LEVEL AT WHICH HE WILL BE RECEIVED IN CHINA, WE CONSIDER, SUBJECT TO THE VIEWS OF COPY ADDRESSEES, THAT IT MIGHT BE WORTH FEEDING IN SOME BRIEFING ON HONG KONG BEFORE HIS VISIT.
2. WE ARE, OF COURSE, AWARE THAT LEE HAS HIS OWN FIRM VIEWS ABOUT HONG KONG AND THAT NOT ALL OF THEM ARE WELCOME TO THE CHINESE. NONETHELESS, THE SINGAPOREANS ARE SYMPATHETIC TO OUR DIFFICULTIES OVER HONG KONG AND WELL PLACED TO GET OVER TO THE CHINESE POINTS ABOUT BUSINESS CONFIDENCE AND PROSPERITY.
3. GRATEFUL THEREFORE IT YOU WOULD MAKE THE FOLLOWING POINTS TO THE MFA AT AN APPROPRIATE LEVEL IN TIME FOR THEM TO FEED IN TO
LEE'S BRIEFING:
-
BELIEVE WE ARE OVER THE WORST OF THE PERIOD OF PUBLIC
DIFFERENCES WITH CHINA OVER HONG KONG.
WE ARE KEEN TO GET BACK TO FULL COOPERATION. BUT THE CHINESE STILL OPPOSE A NUMBER OF OUR POLICIES INTENDED TO BOOST CONFIDENCE, EG BILL OF RIGHT, NATIONALITY PACKAGE. THEY ALSO HAVE RESERVATIONS ABOUT HKG'S PLANS FOR PORT AND
AIRPORT DEVELOPMENT.
CHINESE ARE AT LEAST NO LONGER AIRING THESE POLITICAL DIFFERENCES PUBLICLY. BUT SEEM TO BE WITHHOLDING SOME PRACTICAL COOPERATION, EG RELATIVELY DISAPPOINTING OUTCOME OF RECENT JLG MEETING (CFCO TELNOS 1689-90 TO WASHINGTON GIVE BACKGROUND)).
WE HAVE STRESSED THAT FAILURE TO RESOLVE THROUGH COOPERATION ISSUES RELATING TO A SMOOTH TRANSITION CAN ONLY UNDERMINE CONFIDENCE AND DAMAGE HONG KONG'S FUTURE STABILITY
AND PROSPERITY.
- WOULD WELCOME HELP IN UNDERLINING TO THE CHINESE NEED TO MAINTAIN CONFIDENCE IN HONG KONG BOTH FOR ITS OWN SAKE AND IN INTERESTS OF REGIONAL STABILITY.
WOULD WELCOME ANY HELP YOU CAN PROVIDE TO DISPEL CHINESE
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