TNAG-2783-FCO40-4002-UK-business-interests-in-Hong-Kong-Chinese-discrimination-ag-1993 — Page 30

The Rt Hon Sir Frederic Bennett, DL

No 2, Stone Buildings

Lincoln's Inn

London WC2A 3XB

Thank you for your letters of 5 and 7 April with your

impressions of China and Hong Kong. I am grateful for the approach you took in your meetings with the Chinese Vice-foreign

Minister and with officials from the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs

Office.

You will have seen that we were able to announce last week that

talks with China on Hong Kong electoral issues would start on 22

April.

This is a welcome development. We and the Governor have made plain since October that we wished to discuss with the Chinese

side the proposals which the Governor put forward with our full

support. Our aim in the talks will be to reach an understanding

with China on arrangements to ensure that the elections in 1994

and 1995 are fair, open and acceptable to the people of Hong Kong. If that proves possible, we and the Governor will recommend the outcome to the Legislative Council.

The changes which have been achieved in the Chinese economy

since the beginning of the Open Door policy are indeed impressive. While Britain may not have done as well as some of

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