DRAFT CONTRIBUTION FOR THE MESSAGE TO THE JAPANESE
Mood in Hong Kong now better. But hope Japanese will continue to remind the Chinese of the importance of their actions and statements for international business confidence and thus for Hong Kong's future prosperity.
We are trying to allay Chinese suspicion of the new LegCo and of calls for more democracy. Hard for China to understand principle of democratic opposition. But we have to persuade them that Hong Kong's political freedoms are vital to its economic success: strong, autonomous Hong Kong institutions give confidence to the international community. China needs to win the trust of Hong Kong people and politicians, not to alienate them: a more reformist Chinese leadership may see this more clearly, meanwhile grateful for anything Japan can do to help dispel Chinese conspiracy theories.
ARPAUA/1
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