TNAG-2231-FCO40-3203-Visits-by-David-Wilson--Governor-of-Hong-Kong--to-the-UK-and-1991 — Page 22

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CONFIDENTIAL

2

(c)

(d)

Dr Edwards asked complete veto.

whether China was seeking a The Governor explained that

they wished to have 'consensus" about major issues straddling 1997.

a veto.

Their

This effectively concerns about

meant

the airport project were both economic, which we could address, and political which were much more difficult.

We saw an autonomous Hong

Kong moving smoothly to an autonomous SAR. Peking saw the transition differently : it expected authority over Hong Kong to pass to Peking which would then devolve that authority to Hong Kong. These differences in approach needed to be worked through carefully.

more

Mr Taylor said that Martin Lee had painted a

to pessimistic picture

members of the Committee.

He had expressed concerns about

to commitment HMG's

Hong Kong concerned that there would be an unhappy

for compromise

over arrangements

Hong

made

and

was

Kong's future. The Governor said that the key was to get the balance right. Hong Kong

people wished HKG to take a firm stand with China but were critical of any public argument which then ensued. We needed to look after Hong Kong's interests while trying to avoid major arguments with China.

(e) Mr Sinclair said that there was a great deal

of

goodwill towards Hong Kong in Australia. He asked whether illegal immigration was still

we saw our relations

a

how

problem,

with Taiwan and about aspirations for a fully elected assembly. The Governor confirmed that illegal immigration was

a still problem. 27,000

year.

11

to 30,000 were returned to China each This made it all the more difficult to explain to local people in Hong Kong why we could not return VMs to Vietnam. He said that Taiwan was important to Hong Kong. Much Taiwanese investment in China came through Hong Kong.

Moreover the Chinese leadership probably saw the "one country two systems approach in Hong Kong as a test for what might be applied to Taiwan. On political evolution the Governor said that we should probably have done more earlier but there had been little popular demand for democracy. Many were still apathetic and in recent municipal elections only 23% of those who had registered actually voted. The turnout before the first direct elections to Leg Co in the autumn would

CONFIDENTIAL