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in this paper is the one we believe best able to serve our interests but it will be evident that it offers no easy solutions to a multi-dimensional problem. all, it cannot provide a ready answer to critics who, out of a variety of motives from the purely idealistic to resentment at Hong Kong's export successes (and not excluding a desire to advocate one or other side in the ideological differences between Peking and Moscow), seek to pressure Her Majesty's Government to move faster than the problem allows. It will remain as necessary strongly to support the Hong Kong case and to counter false allegations about its Government as in the past; but obviously our ability to do so will depend upon the degree to which the reforms suggested in this paper are implemented there.
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ANNEX A
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no 7 Page 197 of 203
SIGNALS BY WHICH CHINESE ATTITUDES TO HONG KONG CAN BE ASSESSED
1.
These are both positive and negative, the first
deriving from the most recent past and the latter drawn
from the lessons learned at the time of the Cultural
Revolution in 1966/67.
Positive
1. Present evidence of Chinese tolerance of Hong Kong
includes:
(a) very low key references to China's official
position on the status of Hong Kong in
international bodies and in their relations
with us;
(b) cooperation over illegal immigrants;
(၁)
(a)
instructions to Communist trade unions to
avoid disruptive action
(particularly helpful in the current recession);
instructions to cadres to view Hong Kong
situation in terms of Chinese foreign policy
both general and towards UK;
(e) provision of services and supplies for Hong
Kong e.g. foodstuffs at reasonable prices,
new water supplies, raw materials;
(f) cooperation over minor incidents e.g. servicemen
straying across the border;
(g) willingness to invest e.g. in shipyards;
(h)
(1)
a refusal to take back Macao despite Portuguese
offer;
efforts made to calm the situation in Macao
at present riven with internal disputes.
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