SECRET AND PERSONAL
conference.
The Prime Minister's decision to receive Mr Martin Lee last month.
The Chinese have no doubt also been influenced by the speculation in the Hong Kong press and political circles about possible changes in policy by Mr Patten. number of Hong Kong visitors to London from the conservative political groups and the business community have apparently returned with the impression that decisions on changes have already been taken, and in particular that members of the United Democrats will be appointed to ExCo. The Liberals, for their part, have done nothing to dampen these expectations.
A
A degree of uncertainty in the run-up to Mr Patten's arrival is inevitable. It would not be possible to give the Chinese absolute reassurances of no change without foreclosing Mr Patten's options. But this in itself may have led the Chinese (as well as some people in Hong Kong) to assume that decisions on changes have already been made. This Chinese perception now seems to be affecting their policy on issues of real importance to Hong Kong, particularly the airport.
Mr Goodlad, who visited Hong Kong last week, emphasised the continuity in British policy towards Hong Kong following the election. He made clear repeatedly to
the press that decisions on the composition of ExCo and on policy on the 1995 elections would need to await the new Governor's advice after his arrival in Hong Kong.
PUBLIC RECORDS ACT 1958 SECTION 3 (4) OF THE
IN THE DEPARTMENT UNDER THE ORIGINAL HAS BEEN RETAINED
THIS IS A COPY
that at that stage Chinese officials were already discussing the idea of making a linkage between the
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