TNAG-2911-FCO40-4186-International-support-from-Asia-regarding-the-future-of-Hong-1993 — Page 31

CONFIDENTIAL

072753 MDLIAN 283

RANGE OF SUBJECTS INCLUDING HONG KONG THROUGH 1997 AND UP TO 2000.

COMMENT

5. I FIND IT PARTICULARLY ENCOURAGING THAT IN THE EVENT JAPAN DID NOT NEED TO BE PROMPTED BY US TO RAISE HONG KONG IN THE TERMS WE WOULD WISH IN FORMAL CONSULTATIONS WITH THE CHINESE. THE CHINA DIVISION IS NOW ENTIRELY STAFFED BY QUOTE CHINA SCHOOL UNQUOTE OFFICIALS AND WE HAD EXPECTED A LESS FORTHCOMING APPROACH ON HONG KONG. WE SENSE THAT HONG KONG HAS NOW BECOME AN INTEGRAL PART OF JAPAN'S OVERALL CHINA STRATEGY (ALTHOUGH THIS, OF COURSE, CAN ONLY BE TESTED AGAINST THEIR FUTURE ACTIONS). THE CHARACTERISATION OF JAPANESE SUPPORT FOR HONG KONG AS AN AREA OF COOPERATION ON THIRD COUNTRY ISSUES WITH BENEFITS FOR THE BILATERAL RELATIONSHIP IS ALSO SIGNIFICANT. WE SHOULD OBVIOUSLY TRY TO STAY CLOSLY IN TOUCH WITH TO THE JAPANESE ON WIDER CHINA POLICY PARTICULARLY ON HUMAN RIGHTS AND IN THE SHORTER TERM ON THE QUESTION OF US POLICY TO CHINA AND

MFN.

BOYD

YYYY

MAIN

148

DISTRIBUTION

159

.CHINA POLITICAL

FED

UND

LEGAL ADVISERS

PUSD

INFO D

CONSULAR D

CRD

EASD/ODA//MR MOSSELMANS

EASD/ODA//MR MCCLEAN

ECD (E)

ECONOMIC ADVISERS

CFSP UNIT

ERD

HKD

HRPD

PAGE

SAD

SEAD

PS

PS/BARONESS CHALKER

PS/MR GOODLAD

PS/PUS

MR LANKESTER

MR APPLEYARD CHIEF CLERK SIR J COLES MR AINSCOW

MR ALSTON

SIR M BURTON

MR HUM

MR BONE

MR MANNING

2

CONFIDENTIAL