TNAG-2791-FCO40-4030-Relations-between-Hong-Kong-and-China.-With-maps-1993 — Page 161

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Hong Kong by the possible impact upon Taiwan. Having drawn the

linkage between the two through the common principle of ' one

country two systems' the Chinese side faces the problem that the

successful application of that principle in the case of Hong Kong

would not necessarily elicit a favourable reaction in Taiwan, but

any problems in the handling of Hong Kong could be expected to

rebound unfavourably in Taiwan. A further constraint on Chinese

behaviour is the possible international response and especially

that of the United States. Given the importance of trade and

human rights issues in Sino-American relations the Hong Kong

factor has already entered the equation. But the irony is that

British negotiators themselves are necessarily constrained from

bringing these wider aspects into the negotiations themselves

lest they rebound in a counterproductive way. Thus there is much

shadow play or noises off-stage that affect the progress of the

negotiations.

Meanwhile the shadow of uncertainty about politics in

Beijing continues to loom ever larger over the territory. It has

reached the point where the timing and the order of the deaths

of the remaining so-called immortals (the few aged founding

fathers of Chinese Communism) could determine the fate of Hong

kong. It is possible that the worst could happen even though

nobody wishes it, but if the commitments of the Joint Declaration

are to be attained, the British negotiators face more than four

further years of difficult and demanding encounters for what they

must hope will turn out to be at best to be a thankless task well

done.