TNAG-2103-FCO40-2995-Future-of-Hong-Kong-exchanges-with-the-Chinese-on-the-Basic--1990 — Page 145

PERSONAL AND CONFIDENTIAL

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camps:

this was the opposite of what I and the administration wanted. OMELCO was an important part of the Hong Kong political sustem. It was hardly surprising that they wanted to express their views on crucial matters affecting the future of Hong Kong. The Chinese had made a mistake in refusing to take notice of them and thus alienating them.

I

Another "idea" floated was that China could help with the brain drain problem by arranging for Chinese students in the United States to come to work in Hong Kong if they did not wish to return to the mainland. told him it was interesting that he should have thought of this idea: Li Peng had said the same to me in Peking only recently. We could perhaps be slightly more liberal on our immigration arrangements but would have to be very careful not to precipitate a large number of arrivals which would alarm people locally.

I hope Zhang learned something useful while he was here and will pass it on in the right spirit. But I cannot be sure. Even though he was prepared to stay with us and to discuss matters in his usual calm way, I found him affected by the new post-June atmosphere and less free-thinking than he had been when he last stayed with us just before the massacre.

Governor

Sir Alan Donald KCMG

HMA

CC

Peking

d

R J T McLaren Esq CMG AUSS

FCO