TNAG-2159-FCO40-3079-Hong-Kong-nationality-package-Chinese-views-1990 — Page 24

-' ...

CONFIDENTIAL

0240

MDHIAN 7704

COMMENTS

5.

OUR ASSESSMENT IS THAT THE CHINESE ARE LIKELY TO BE CONSIDERING DILUTING THE EFFECTS OF THE PACKAGE AS PERCEIVED BY THEM BY TAKING A HARD-LINE STANCE OVER THE SELECTION OF PRINCIPAL OFFICIALS AS WELL AS BY STEPPING UP UNITED FRONT WORK IN HONG KONG. NEVERTHELESS, THE TONE OF THE ARTICLE SUGGESTS THAT THE CHINESE PROBABLY HAVE NOT YET DECIDED ON THE SPECIFIC MEASURES THAT THEY SHOULD TAKE. YET THEY DO NOT WANT TO APPEAR TO BE WEAK AND THIS ACCOUNTS FOR THE THREATENING TONE IN THE LATTER PART OF THE ARTICLE.

WILSON

YYYY

ΜΑΙΝ

67

.HK AGREEMENT NATIONALITY

LIMITED

HKD

HD/FED

HD/NTD

HD/CONSULAR D

NEWS D

PUSD

ADDITIONAL

11

HK AGREEMENT NATIONALITY

NNNN

DISTRIBUTION

78

PS

PS/MR MAUDE

PS/LORD BRABAZON

PS/PUS

MR GILLMORE

MR MCLAREN

MR BLATHERWICK MISS SPENCER

PAGE

2

CONFIDENTIAL