166107-
MOHIAN 4770
8
SECRET
026/1
DY
SECRET
FM PEKING
TO DESKBY 24070OZ FCO
TELNO 1472
OF 2405O3Z OCTOBER 92
AND TO DESKBY 24053OZ HONG KONG
INFO IMMEDIATE UKREP JLG HONG KONG
THE GOVERNOR'S VISIT TO CHINA: 20 23 OCTOBER
SUMMARY
DEEP-SEATED CHINESE OBJECTIONS TO GOVERNOR'S CONSTITUTIONAL PROPOSALS. QIAN QICHEN'S STRONG WARNINGS REFLECT IRRITATION OF SENIOR CHINESE LEADERSHIP. SHOULD BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY. CHINESE REGARD BALL AS IN OUR COURT: WILL PUT FORWARD NO PROPOSALS OF THEIR OWN. TENTATIVE SUGGESTION FOR WAY FORWARD.
DETAIL
2.
MR PATTEN, ACCOMPANIED BY MRS PATTEN, PAID HIS FIRST VISIT TO CHINA AS GOVERNOR FROM 20 TO 23 OCTOBER. SUMMARIES AND DETAILED REPORTS OF HIS VARIOUS MEETINGS HAVE BEEN DESPATCHED SEPARATELY, TOGETHER WITH COMMENTS. YOU MAY NONETHELESS FIND IT HELPFUL TO HAVE MY OWN IMPRESSIONS.
3.
HONG KONG MEDIA REPORTS BEFORE THE VISIT SUGGESTED THAT THE GOVERNOR WOULD BE GIVEN A COOL WELCOME. THIS WAS TRUE IN THE SENSE THAT THERE WAS NO MEETING WITH PREMIER LI PENG AND THAT HIS HOST, LU PING NEITHER MET HIM NOR SAW HIM OFF CHE HAD A GOOD EXCUSE IN THE FIRST INSTANCE, BUT NOT IN THE SECOND). IN OTHER RESPECTS MR PATTEN WAS RECEIVED COURTEOUSLY, IF NOT WARMLY.
THOUGH SOME TIME WAS SPENT ON THE AIRPORT, THE MAJOR FOCUS OF THE DISCUSSIONS WAS INEVITABLY ON CONSTITUTIONAL ISSUES. MR PATTEN EXPLAINED THE RATIONALE FOR THE PROPOSALS SET OUT IN HIS LEGCO ADDRESS ELOQUENTLY, PATIENTLY AND WITH GREAT SKILL. VIEWED FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE HE WON MOST OF THE ARGUMENTS, BUT HE MADE NO IMPRESSION ON HIS CHINESE INTERLOCUTORS. THEY HAVE QUITE DIFFERENT
PRIORITIES.
5. THE ESSENCE OF THE CHINESE OBJECTION TO THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSALS IS THAT IF IMPLEMENTED THEY WOULD MAKE IT MORE DIFFICULT
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