CONFIDENTIAL
FM PEKING
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 1735
OF 1408547 DECEMBER 92
CONFIDENTIAL
Нив
Gaitz
199
161245
MDLIAN 1762
OP COPY
Q DIST?
INFO PRIORITY WASHINGTON, HONG KONG, UKREP JLG HONG KONG, ACTOR
WASHINGTON TELNO 27
(14L 2731:
PRESIDENT-ELECT CLINTON AND CHINA/MEN
1. I CAN SEE THE DOMESTIC DIFFICULTIES WHICH COULD BE CAUSED IN
THE US IF A MEETING BETWEEN THE GOVERNOR AND PRESIDENT CLINTON WAS PRESENTED AS PART OF A CAMPAIGN TO LOBBY FOR UNCONDITIONAL RENEWAL OF MFN FOR CHINA (PARAGRAPH 4 OF TUR).
2.
THE SENSITIVITIES HERE SHOULD ALSO BE BORNE IN MIND. THOUGH THERE HAS SO FAR BEEN NO DIRECT PUBLIC COMMENT, CLINTON'S RECENT REMARKS ABOUT HONG KONG (WASHINGTON TELNO 2693) WILL CERTAINLY HAVE
BEEN NOTED AND WILL HAVE REINFORCED CHINESE SUSPICIONS THAT THE
GOVERNOR'S CONSTITUTIONAL PLANS ARE PART OF A WESTERN PLOT TO FRUSTRATE CHINESE REUNIFICATION AND/OR TO TOPPLE THE COMMUNIST REGIME. AN EXPLANATION OF THE PURPOSE OF THE GOVERNOR'S VISIT WHICH INCLUDED THE POINT THAT HE WAS GOING TO THE US TO SEE 'HOW THE US CAN HELP WOULD BE LIKELY TO ADD FUEL TO THAT FIRE, FURTHER REDUCING OUR CHANCES OF BRINGING THE CHINESE BACK INTO DIALOGUE AND
OF MODERATING THEIR BEHAVIOUR. COULD WE NOT INSTEAD SAY SOMETHING
TO THE EFFECT THAT AS THE US IS HONG KONG'S MOST IMPORTANT TRADING PARTNER AFTER CHINA AND AMERICAN POLICIES ON CHINA CAN AFFECT HONG
KONG IT IS NATURAL THAT THE GOVERNOR SHOULD WANT TO MEET THE NEW
PRESIDENT SOON AFTER HE HAS TAKEN OFFICE ?
3=
HOWEVER, EVEN IF WE ARE CAREFUL ABOUT PUBLIC PRESENTATION, IF THE PRESENT ATMOSPHERE CONTINUES THE CHINESE WILL BE VERY SUSPICIOUS OF CONTACTS BETWEEN THE GOVERNOR AND THE US ADMINISTRATION. WHATEVER LINE IS EVENTUALLY DECIDED FOR PUBLIC USE
IT MIGHT BE WORTH TIPPING THE WINK TO SOMEONE THE CHINESE TRUST IN
HONG KONG THAT THE REAL OBJECTIVE IS UNCONDITIONAL RENEWAL OF MEN.
MCLAREN
YYYY
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