Lunch meeting with Hong Kong Chinese people, including successful businessmen and lawyers. An interesting variety of views vigorously expressed. Views on Patten as Governor very divided.
In the course of a very intensive visit to Hong Kong Members were exposed to a wide variety of views, official and unofficial, on Hong Kong's development. They heard arguments, by no means always predictable, both for and against Governor Patten's proposals. It is probable that this delegation is currently the British Parliament's best briefed group, outside Government, on Hong Kong.
In accordance with Deng Xiaoping's "One Country Two Systems" pronouncement the government of China produced the Basic Law for the government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region after their resumption of sovereignty in 1997. Britain has accepted the Basic Law. Mr Patten maintains that his proposals do not conflict with the Basic Law; the Chinese say they do conflict and that this is incontestably so because the Basic Law means whatever they say it means. Impasse. As the visit proceeded Members found themselves focusing increasingly on the question: was Mr Patten right to make his electoral proposals in the face of such implacable Chinese opposition? His is unquestionably a high-risk gambit - too high in the view of at least one Member. Members also worry about the period of uncertainty that will surely follow the death of Ding Xiaoping, and about the destructive effects of a conflict between the rule of law in Hong Kong and corruption seeping in from the mainland. However, on the whole they judge the Patten initiative to be worth a shot - it just may succeed. The Chinese have after all returned to the negotiating table.
My fellow Members and I would like to meet Mr Patten at the first opportunity after our return to London, to discuss our experiences with him while memories are fresh. Accordingly we ask you to transmit this request to FCO Ministers, and to instruct the Branch secretariat to follow it up. I am also sending a copy of this letter to the Hong Kong Department of the FCO.
Anthony Durant
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