TNAG-2478-FCO40-3608-Trade-relations-between-Hong-Kong--the-UK-and-other-countrie-1992 — Page 36

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UKREP BRUSSELS TELNO 1721: EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: RESOLUTION ON EC ECONOMIC AND TRADE RELATIONS WITH HONG KONG: CHINESE PROTEST

1. COUNSELLOR HU AT THE CHINESE EMBASSY TELEPHONED HEAD OF HKD TODAY TO SAY THAT HE HAD BEEN INSTRUCTED TO MAKE CLEAR THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT'S SORROW THAT, DESPITE THEIR REPEATEDLY EXPRESSED OPPOSITION, THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT HAD NOW PASSED THE HINDLEY RESOLUTION.

2. HU THEN WENT RAPIDLY THROUGH THE FAMILIAR CHINESE POSITION ON HINDLEY. IT WAS INTERFERENCE IN HONG KONG AFFAIRS - WHICH WERE (UNTIL JULY 1997) A BILATERAL MATTER BETWEEN CHINA AND BRITAIN AND CAFTER THAT) AN INTERNAL MATTER FOR CHINA. IT WAS NOT CONDUCIVE TO HONG KONG S PROSPERITY AND STABILITY. THE EXPLANATORY NOTE MADE OUTRAGEOUS CHARGES AGAINST CHINA. THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES HOPED THAT HMG WOULD MAKE CLEAR THEIR OPPOSITION TO THE RESOLUTION.

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RICKETTS RESPONDED THAT AS WE HAD PREVIOUSLY TOLD THE CHINESE EMBASSY, HMG AND OTHER MEMBER STATES WERE NOT INVOLVED AT ALL IN THE PREPARATION OR CONSIDERATION OF THIS RESOLUTION. AS THE CHINESE SIDE KNEW, MR HINDLEY WAS A LABOUR MEP. HMG WERE NOT IN A POSITION TO INFLUENCE HIM. THERE WAS NO OCCASION WHEN MEMBER STATES WOULD NEED TO TAKE A POSITION ON THIS RESOLUTION. RICKETTS REPEATED OUR EARLIER ADVICE, IE THAT THE CHINESE SHOULD NOT GIVE TOO MUCH IMPORTANCE OR PROMINENCE TO THIS RESOLUTION. BUT HE TOOK NOTE OF CHINESE CONCERNS.

4. COMMENT: THIS WAS A NOTABLY LOW-KEY AND BELATED APPROACH, WHICH HU DID NOT SEEK TO PRESS. IT LOOKS LIKE THE CHINESE HAVE DECIDED NOT TO MAKE A BIG FUSS ABOUT HINDLEY, BUT MERELY TO GO THROUGH THE MOTIONS WITH US.

HURD

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