TNAG-2169-FCO40-3106-House-of-Commons-Foreign-Affairs-Committee-inquiry-into-Hong-1990 — Page 19

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grateful, and subsequently you, Minister, gave evidence to us

December. Since then events have moved on and we would be grateful if you

would share some thoughts with us at this still crucial stage on how you

see policy evolving and, indeed, how we all see the situation in Hong Kong

developing and settling. Could I, therefore, begin with what many regard

as the central issue, which is the relations with the People's Republic of

China and, indeed, contacts between the United Kingdom and China. The

Community agreed, I think, in Madrid after the terrible events in Tiananmen

Square to a whole range of sanctions against the Chinese government,

including "suspension of bilateral ministerial and high-level contacts". I

understand that the Government has now decided to end this ban and this is

going to be expressed by your visit to the PRC at the end of the month. Is

that right and can you explain what the background to this decision is?

(Mr Maude) Yes, indeed, Mr Chairman. Although there was a general

embargo, and still is, on European Community ministerial visits to China,

there was from the very outset an understanding by the Twelve that the

position of Portugal and of the United Kingdom was different because of

their very specific responsibilities for Macao and Hong Kong respectively.

So there was always, as it might be, a dispensation for ourselves and

Portugal to make such a visit and there were, indeed, back in July and

September last year two meetings between John Major (then Foreign

Secretary) and the Chinese Foreign Ministers

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not in China but elsewhere

to discuss specifically Hong Kong issues. So it has always been understood

that high-level and fairly intense contacts between ourselves and the

People's Republic have to continue, particularly when there is so much

relevant to Hong Kong to be decided, and when the Foreign Secretary

explained to the European Community Foreign Ministers three weeks or so ago

that it was proposed that I may make this visit, there was total

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