TNAG-2498-FCO40-3636-Relations-between-Hong-Kong-and-Taiwan-1992 — Page 47

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2.

I have not seen any comment in the mainland Chinese press about Peng's return to Taiwan. That does not of course mean that there has not been any, but my feeling is that the Chinese have not played it up domestically. I suspect that the decision to protest over his transit of Hong Kong may have been connected with the the more general Chinese sensitivity over Hong Kong following their attacks on the Governor's constitutional proposals. In less tense times, they might have made rather less of a meal of it than they did, just as they might well have reacted less strongly to the Governor's meeting with Hsu Sheng-fa. The Chinese are putting great efforts into stifling Hong Kong's political development, the last thing want is ideas of independence added to the mixture. His visit also could have touched on the "Hong Kong as a base for subversion" nerve. This is not necessarily a particularly rational reaction from our point of view, but for the Chinese matters of important principle may have been at stake. Their reaction in early 1970 may similarly have had wider political overtones. At a time when they were pushing their bid for UN entry, they would have wanted to discourage as strongly as possible any thought of independence for Taiwan. Once of course

Peng Ming-min had become established as a bogeyman it may simply have been an automatic bureaucratic reaction to complain about his activities in Hong Kong.

cc Dr L Bristow-Smith, FED

R Bunten Esq, HKD

Ms J Rogan, Peking

P Morrice Esq, ATTC Taipei

RF Wye

Far Eastern Section

Research and Analysis Department

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