A
+
SoStoPM.SA.bern
CONFIDENTIAL
A meeting between me and the Chinese Foreign Minister, Qian Qichen, might help at the right moment. I plan to see Qian for the next of our six-monthly sessions in March. The Chinese could well propose an earlier meeting. If they did so, it would be hard to refuse. And an earlier meeting would enable the Governor to reassure LegCo, in putting his
proposals to them in the first part of next year, that we had
left no stone unturned in the search for agreement.
We should not forget that we hold some cards of our own
in dealing with the Chinese over Hong Kong:
the Governor's popularity with poeple in Hong Kong, and the widespread support at grassroots level (if opinion polls are to be believed) for his proposals;
China's interest in continued cooperation with us, for example on the commercial/financial area and in ensuring
continuity in the Civil Service;
our influence in Washington, where the Governor's
proposals have attracted widespread support and where he and
we will be lobbying for the maintenance of MFN status for
China (but the Chinese know that we will be doing this for
Hong Kong's sake, not theirs);
more generally, the support for the Governor's
approach among Hong Kong's economic partners in the developed world.
But none of these are cards which are likely to change Chinese policy on an issue which they see as touching on their sovereignity. But It is reasonably encouraging that
CONFIDENTIAL
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.