TNAG-2346-FCO40-3415-Political-relations-between-Hong-Kong--Japan-and-China-1991 — Page 133

FCO40 Hong Kong Department Records 聯邦事務部香港部檔案 All

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ROUGH TEXT OF MESSAGE FROM JAPANESE FOREIGN MINISTER TO

SECRETARY OF STATE

HKD 021/1 for begun!

(Dated 3 July)

RE

AND

+f.

ни

9/1

Mr Cox My Ms Majur

-2017

7

I would like to brief you on the latest developments in Hong

IN:

Ken

Kong following your message in May after our talks in Beijing in spring and our talks in Paris in June.

At Foreign Ministerial talks with Mr Qian Qichen on 26 June I pointed out to Mr Qian that the future of Hong Kong depends on whether the world can trust the smooth working of the present economic system in Hong Kong after 1997 and that it is important for Britain and China to reach an early agreement on the question of the construction of the new airport. It is not regarded as symbolising Anglo/Chinese cooperation to recover confidence in the future of Hong

Kong.

I also pointed out, with regard to the Bill of Rights, that the Chinese statement employing the amendments of this law after 1997 can be incorporated as Chinese intention to change the present law or system and that China needs to be cautious in making a statement. Mr Qian told me that China and Britain share a common wish to maintain the prosperity of Hong Kong, which will retain its position as one of the international financial centres. China is optimistic about a development in the constructive direction in the near future with regard to the question of the construction of the new airport and that though China can accept the Bill of Rights to be superior to the Basic Law, it does not want to play up this issue.

I fully understand that the question of the renewal of the Most-Favoured Nation status to China by the United States strongly affects not only China but also Hong Kong. Japanese Government, mindful of the importance of this question, expressed its desire for the airport by President

BATAFY/1

The

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