TNAG-2608-FCO40-3799-International-support-from-the-USA-regarding-the-future-of-H-1992 — Page 47

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THE MCCONNELL BILL/EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT DRAFT RESOLUTION: CHINESE DEMARCHE

SUMMARY

1.

CHINESE DEMARCHE ON THE MCCONNELL BILL AND EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT DRAFT RESOLUTION. BOTH ATTACKED AS ATTEMPTS TO INTERFERE IN HONG KONG AFFAIRS AND ''INTERNATIONALISE'' THE ISSUE. REQUEST THAT HMG SHOULD CLEARLY OPPOSE BOTH, AND TRY TO PREVENT THEIR ADOPTION.

DETAIL

2.

I WAS SUMMONED TO THE MFA ON 22 APRIL TO RECEIVE A DEMARCHE FROM ZHAO JIHUA (DIRECTOR HONG KONG AND MACAO AFFAIRS, MFA) ABOUT THE MCCONNELL BILL AND THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT DRAFT RESOLUTION. ZHAO READ FROM A PREPARED SPEAKING NOTE WHICH HE HANDED OVER IN CHINESE (COPIES BY FAX TO HONG KONG, FCO AND UKREP JLG). A FULL TRANSLATION IS IN MIFT.

3. ZHAO SAID THAT THE MCCONNELL BILL HAD BEEN PUT FORWARD BY PEOPLE WHO WISHED TO MEDDLE IN HONG KONG AFFAIRS BY USING DOMESTIC LEGISLATION. THIS WAS AN ATTEMPT TO

''INTERNATIONALISE'' THE HONG KONG QUESTION. THE JOINT

DECLARATION STATED CLEARLY THAT HONG KONG WAS A MATTER FOR THE UK AND PRC BEFORE 1997 AND AN INTERNAL MATTER THEREAFTER. IT WAS COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE TO THE PRC THAT THE US WAS TRYING TO SUPERVISE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE JD. CHINA HAD ALREADY MADE REPRESENTATIONS TO THE US GOVERNMENT.

THIS INTERFERENCE BY THE US WAS NOT HELPFUL TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE JD AND WOULD UNDERMINE THE PROSPERITY AND STABILITY OF HONG KONG AND THE CHANCES OF A SMOOTH TRANSITION. IT WAS NOT CONDUCIVE TO THE UK'S LONG TERM ECONOMIC INTERESTS IN HONG KONG. THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT HOPED THE UK WOULD STATE

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