TNAG-2182-FCO40-3119-Hong-Kong-nationality-international-support-1990 — Page 149

CONFIDENTIAL

Background

References: A UKREP telno 284 of 1989: JLG XIV

B UKREP telno 620: JLG XV

1.

The Chinese have consistently criticised our efforts to

persuade other countries to grant citizenship to Hong Kong people and to raise Hong Kong in international fora. They

claim that this amounts to an attempt to 'internationalise'

the Hong Kong queston, which could only be dealt with by the

British and Chinese Governments in accordance with the Joint

Declaration.

2.

The Chinese reacted particularly strongly to the inclusion of a passage on Hong Kong in the CHOGM communiqué

last October. 'Internationalisation' also featured prominently at JLG XIV in December.

It arose again at JLG

XV in April but in a more perfunctory way.

3.

Nevertheless this is an issue on which the Chinese

remain extremely sensitive. Any attempt to raise Hong Kong

publicly at future international meetings is likely to

provoke further Chinese accusations about

'internationalisation'.

Hong Kong Department

19 July 1990

BAYAAT/3

CONFIDENTIAL