FCO_49_622_PLANNING_PAPER_ON_HONG_KONG_1976 — Page 33

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19.

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One thing seems clear however: as it is not

now possible to envisage a meaningful discussion of the

problem in its entirety, there is nothing to be said

for discussing particular aspects of it with the present

Chinese Government. Any attempt to do so, or to seek

to involve them in solving any of the Colony's internal

problems will almost certainly meet with a refusal to

discuss a matter which they at present propose to regard

as exclusively for us. Even in the unlikely event of

their accepting to do so, any agreement reached could

not bind any successor Government to the present one.

And finally discussion could result in their concentrating

on small changes of tactical interest to them (eg the

appointment of an official Chinese 'representative'

which has been raised in the past but which is at present

a dormant issue) without commitment on the long term

problem of interest to us. This could well limit our

freedom of manoeuvre when the time comes to consider the

problem as a whole.

19.

and to wait for the successor

It follows that the best course to adopt now is

to accept the status quo so far as Hong Kong's external

position is concerned;

Government to that of Mao to emerge, establish itself

throughout China, and define a general foreign policy

against which to judge the nature and timing of any

approach on Hong Kong. Meanwhile it should suffice to

avoid actions which past experience leads us to believe

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