TNAG-2911-FCO40-4186-International-support-from-Asia-regarding-the-future-of-Hong-1993 — Page 73

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

FM TOKYO

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 226

OF 061801Z APRIL 93

INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG, PEKING

FROM PRIVATE SECRETARY

FOREIGN SECRETARY'S VISIT TO JAPAN, 6-7 APRIL

ра

do

2/4

MY SIX IPTS: TALKS WITH ACTING FOREIGN MINISTER, 6 APRIL HONG KONG

SUMMARY

1.

40

141544

MDHIAN 6313

JAPANESE SUPPORT FOR OUR APPROACH ON HONG KONG. ANGLO-CHINESE DISCUSSIONS WILL BEGIN SOON.

HOPE THAT

DETAIL

2.

THE FOREIGN SECRETARY EXPLAINED OUR APPROACH TO HONG KONG ON STANDARD LINES. KONO EXPRESSED THE HOPE THAT THERE WOULD BE EARLY TALKS BETWEEN BRITAIN AND CHINA. THE JAPANESE HAD AN AFFINITY FOR HONG KONG, AND THEREFORE COULD NOT REMAIN INDIFFERENT TO THE PRESENT SITUATION. KONO AGREED THAT IT WAS IN THE JAPANESE INTEREST FOR HONG KONG TO REMAIN OPEN AND FREE. HE ADDED THAT THE JAPANESE HAD MUCH EXPERIENCE OF DISCUSSION WITH CHINA ON VARIOUS ISSUES. THEY HAD LEARNED THE LESSON THAT THERE WAS A HUGE GAP IN PERCEPTIONS OF TIME. WHILE WE TENDED TO PLAN FOR THREE TO FIVE YEARS AHEAD, THE CHINESE PLANNED IN TERMS OF FIFTY OR ONE HUNDRED YEARS. HE ADDED THAT THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT HAD CONVEYED OUR MESSAGE TO THE CHINESE MANY TIMES, AND WOULD CARRY ON DOING SO. PERSONALLY, HE WAS OPTIMISTIC ABOUT A SOLUTION. THE CHINESE UNDERSTOOD THE VALUE OF FREE MARKETS. HE BELIEVED THAT THEY WOULD COME TO SEE THE VALUE OF POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC FREEDOM FOR HONG KONG.

3. FCO PLEASE ADVANCE TO PS/NO 10.

BOYD

YYYY

RECE

HKD 01/2

жко

07 APR 1993

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CONFIDENTIAL