TNAG-2244-FCO40-3225-Most-favoured-nation-status-for-China-impact-on-Hong-Kong-1991 — Page 197

оток

MKB 2004

BIEU-IT

Foreign & Commonwealth

Office

HKOF

2 July 1991

Year Stepan.

Hong Kong : MFN Status for China

London SW1 2AH

Mr Furness

Further to my letter of 21 June, we have now consulted Washington and Hong Kong about the wording of the proposed statement which the Prime Minister might make in response to an inspired PQ on this subject.

Sir A Acland has recommended that the inspired PQ be tabled this week to enable the Prime Minister's reply to be circulated to key Congressmen before the floor debates, the first of which is expected to start on 10 July.

The text of the recommended draft written PQ and answer is as follows:

Question

To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on HMG's position regarding the renewal by the US Government of China's Most Favoured Nation status.

Answer

"Renewal by the United States Government of Most Favoured Nation Status for China is of great importance to Hong Kong. I therefore warmly welcomed the recent decision by the President of the United States to renew MFN unconditionally. We hope that both the House of Representatives and the Senate will give their support to the President on this issue.

Hong Kong's economy is now inextricably linked with that of China. More than two-thirds of Chinese exports to the United States are routed through Hong Kong.

It

/has been

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