TNAG-2717-FCO40-3923-House-of-Commons-Select-Committee-on-Foreign-Affairs-enquiry-1993 — Page 53

concerned. What, then, should be our approach in Britain to the whole issue of human rights in China in future years?

Sir Alan Donald: My short answer would be constructive engagement with the Chinese Government. British interests to boycott China because of these matters, It would be against because there are other great issues at stake, future of the people of Hong Kong.

at stake, not least the

But you have more chance (and this is my experience) in private diplomacy with Chinese leaders, explaining to them what a damaging impact it has if there are abuses of human rights, than if you shout from the other side of the wall and hurl insults at them, because they just freeze up. Aesop's Fable of the wind and the sun competing with each other It is like the to see if they can make a peasant take off his coat, and the harder the wind blew the more the chap hung on to his coat, and when the sun shone he took his coat off. results, practical results, by explaining in patient diplomacy You can get more that they ought to improve.

Mr Robert N Wareing:

But if they are still going to be faced with the fact that in Britain that we, Parliament, are going to ask Ministers about these things, so as Members of there is bound to be a certain amount of public comment, the least of it.

to say

Sir Alan Donald: That is inevitable,

and I think

justifiable.

Chairman: Sir Richard, a final comment about the wind

and the sun?

Sir Richard Evans: I do not think I have anything to add to what Sir Alan has said on that.

Chairman: I think that prevails.

have people in Hong Kong and they do have their individual rights Our concern that we and liberties to safeguard. How is that to be done? all go wrong again as it has in the past? Questions we end with, Could it questions we began with.

Thank you very much, gentlemen, for your time and your

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