fco-21-1137-representation-of-china-in-hong-kong — Page 1

National Archives 英國國家檔案館 All

FILE

B

PART

STAMP

YEAR

UP1

SECURITY GRADING..

NE

L

r

I

... that -* the higher grade

-momdry.)

Contents checked

for transfer to

(Sad)

D.RO.

SECRET

H.M. DIPLOMATIC SERVICE

DEPT.

or POST

FAR EASTERN

FILE NO. FE H-3|301|1

(Part B)

TITLE: Representation of China + Hong Kong

REFER TO

REFER TO

NAME

TO

NAME

DATE

<p>&nbsp;<span></span></p><!--more--><p></p>

(and dept, when necessary)

SEE:

fand dept when necessary)

TO SEE:

DATE

8C 42)

REFER TO

NAME

TO

DATE

(and dept. when necessary) SEE:

DO NOT RETAIN FILES AND PAPERS UNNECESSARILY

RETURN THEM TO REGISTRY FOR BU, OR PA

!

!

fco 211 113/7

+

F

the same me that of the highest gradeć

subunging necessary.)

SECRET

CLOSED UNTIL

2004

Registry Address

Roman 271 K.C.S.

YEAR STAMP

1978

דו

GRS 480 PORITY

CER CAT A

FM HONGKONG 171026Z

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

ICH

L

J

pe

wel

(16

20/12

1973

TO PRIORITY F C O TELEGRAM NUMBER 1465 OF 17 DECEMBER INFO PRIORITY
PEKING.

PEKING TELEGRAM NO. 1434 CHINESE REPRESENTATION.

THIS REFERS TO A SMALL BUT SIGNIFICANT STEP FORWARD IN THE POLICY
DESCRIBED IN PARAS 20 TO 24 OF MY DESPATCH OF 11 JANUARY, 1973. EARLIER
MOVES WERE DESCRIBED IN MY LETTER TO WILFORD OF 3 MARCH.

2.

THEREAFTER PROGRESS WAS BLOCKED BY THE SICKNESS AND ABSENCE OF LEUNG
WAI-LAM (HE HAS NOT BEEN HERE SINCE APRIL), AND THE ARRIVAL OF A NUMBER
2 AND POTENTIAL SUCCESSOR LI CHU-SENG, LATELY OF THE OVERSEAS CHINESE
AFFAIRS COMMISSION. TO GET THINGS MOVING

I PROMPTED AN INVITATION TO A PING PONG DISPLAY BY A VISITING CHINESE
TEAM AT WHICH LEUNG HOSTED ME. THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME A GOVERNOR HAS
ATTENDED A LEFT WING MANIFESTATION OF THIS SORT, BUT HE DID NOT ACT ON
MY REMINDER THAT HE WAS ALWAYS WELCOME TO TALK TO ME OR HONG KONG
OFFICIALS: AND AN ATTEMPT TO ARRANGE A DINNER IN THE HOUSE OF A THIRD
PARTY FAILED.

3. SINCE OCTOBER THERE HAS BEEN SOME PROGRESS

(A)

:-

WHEREAS PREVIOUSLY IT HAS BEEN WHO HAVE TAKEN THE INITIATIVE IN SPEAKING
TO THE HEAD OF NCNA AT PARTIES,

LI CAME UP AND CONGRATULATED ME ON MY LEG.CO. SPEECH AND ITS POLICIES
(SURELY A ''FIRST TIME'' (EXCLAMATION)).

(B) SUBSEQUEENTTLY CHINESE RESPONSE TO HONG KONG PROBLEMS OVER

OIL WAS IMMEDIATE AND FRIENDLY (THOUGH OF COURSE THEY SAW A LONG TERM
ADVANTAGE).

(C) LI INVITED ME TO THIS ACROBATIC PERFORMANCE AND DID SO

BY A PERSONAL LETTER TO ME. AFTER THE SHOW I WROTE BACK. THIS IS THE
FIRST TIME THERE HAS BEEN DIRECT CORRESPONDENCE OF ANY SORT. THE PRESS
MADE A GREAT DEAL OF MY WIFE'S AND MY PRESENCE AT THE SHOWDENTIAL

/(D)

T

CONFIDENTIAL

(D)

4.

AS IF TO SEAL THE STEP FORWARD LI THEN CALLED HIMSELF ON THE POLITICAL
ADVISER AND MADE A FRIENDLY DEMATCHE ABOUT LETTER BOMBS (OUR TELMO 196
TO PEKING), THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THE HEAD OF NCNA HAD PERSONALLY AND
DIRECTLY TRANSACTED OFFICIAL BUSINESS ON BEHALF OF THE C P G WITH THE
HONG KONG GOVERNMENT, THOUGH HE HAD NOTHING TO SAY THAT COULD NOT
EQUALLY WELL HAVE BEEN DEALT WITH BY A SUBORDINATE

IN THE NORMAL WAY.

THESE PUBLIC CONTACTS ACCORD WITH CURRENT C P G UNITED FRONT TACTICS.
NEVERTHELESS I BELIEVE THAT PROVIDED WE DO NOT OVERDO IT WE ARE THE
GAINERS FROM OVERTLY EASIER RELATIONS AND THE PUBLIC CONFIDENCE
ENGENDERED.

5. HONE OF THE FOREGOING IS OF SIGNIFICANCE FOR THE PRINCIPLE OF
REPRESENTATION, WHICH NO DOUBT THE C P G WILL PRESS UPON THE PRIME
MINISTER. BUT THE PRACTICAL AND FRIENDLY WORKING AND SOCIAL RELATIONSHIP
WE ARE TRYING TO ESTABLISH IS RIGHT ON ITS MERITS, AND IT IS ENCOURAGING
THAT N CNA ARE GRADUALLY MOVING TO MEET US.

6. NEVERTHELESS TO USE THESE DEVELOPMENTS IN ANY ARGUMENT REPRESENTATION
MIGHT ONLY RESULT IN THE REVERSAL OF THESE

LOCAL MOVES.

MACLENCSE

FILES

FED

HKIOD

NEWS D

NR WILFORD

MR YOUDE

SIR D. WATSON -,-

2 -

CONFIDENTIAL

L

"

MINISTE

COMMDENTIAL

FEA

se sops.

15/M-Royle

It Lily and /R- You de

#

HKL00. PESGatt

Dear Patrich

12

17/12

Fall 3/36.

10 Downing Street Whitehall

8 December 1973

The Heavey

تمیز

://

Mi Daniel.

: Ehyman.

R.E.

Thank you for your letter of 6 December about Chinese representation in
Hong Kong.

I have consulted the Prime Minister, who confirms that he agrees with
the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary on this matter: i.e., the Prime
Minister should again reject the Chinese proposal for an official
representative in Hong Kong, when that matter is raised with Mr. Heath
during his visit to Peking. Consequently there is no need for the
Governor of Hong Kong or H.M. Ambassador in Peking to return to London
for consultations before Christmas.

I am sending a copy of this letter, together with a copy of your letter
of 6 December, to Webster (Cabinet Office).

P.H. Grattan, Esq.,

Your ever

Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Tom Bridges

Are

7/12

12.

Dones thoman E.

Le

ti

LA

Telegraphing

ра зак. п

Pakking Lok.

PEL

Enter.

13/12

11/12.

CONFIDENTIAL

CYPHER/CAT A GRPS 145

CONFIDENTIAL

RECEI

REGISTRY... $2

? HONG KONG 120202Z

14 DEL 1973

1146

CONFIDENTIAL

KEH 3/1.14

TO ROUTINE F C O TELNO 1438 OF 127H DECEMBER, 1973. INFO ROUTINE

PEKING.

CHINESE REPRESENTATION IN HONG KONG.

YOU MIGHT LIKE TO KNOW THAT DALLAS, REUTERS' CHIEF REPRESENTA- TIVE
HERE, HAS TOLD THE POLITICAL ADVISER THAT HE HAD IT FROM TWO SOURCES,
ONE OF WHOM WAS THE EDITOR OF THE HSING TAO DAILY,

THAT THE CPG HAD DECIDED TO APPOINT CH'IAO KUAN-HUA AS THE OFFICIAL

CHINESE REPRESENTATIVE IN HONG KONG AND THAT A DEAL TO THIS EFFECT

WOULD BE MADE DURING THE PRIME MINISTER'S FORTHCOMING VISIT TO

PEKING.

2.

DALLAS THOUGHT THIS WORTH PASSING ON BECAUSE OF THE REPUTABLE

NATURE OF HIS SOURCES AND THEIR INSISTENCE ON BRINGING THIS STORY

TO HIS ATTENTION.

3. I SHOULD EXPECT THERE WILL BE MORE KITE FLYING AND PRESS PRIMING OF
THIS SORT BEFORE THE PRIME MINISTER'S VISIT.

MACLEHOSE

FILES

HKIOD

FED

P & CD

NEWS D MR YOUDE

CONFIDENTIAL

+

IMMEDETTE. GRS 35

EN CLAIR

FM F C O 101245Z

UNCLASSIFIED.

1973

TO IMMEDIATE GOV HONG KONG TELNO 1263 OF 10 DECEMBER^AND TO

IMMEDIATE PEKING.

MY TELNO 1248.

PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR AND AMBASSADOR FROM WILFORD,

FOR 99% READ 100%. SORRY YOU'VE BEEN TROUBLED.

DOUGLAS-HOME

FILES

FED

PS

PS/MR ROYLE MR WILFORD MR YOUDE

1

+

113

(FE)

CONFIDENTIAL

112

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

I shall be draining the

brief myself of the beginning of next week.

London S.W.1

113

6 December, 1973

Mi you de

Miwilts

W

Mi Donya 1/2

fis Thuway Thadehove

R.M. Evens Chinese Representation in long, Kong

anet dúška Adidas another

7 December, 1973.

теледит Telegram.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary spoke to the Prime Minister this
morning. He mentioned that the recommendation to the Prime Minister was
that he should again reject the Chinese proposal for an official
representative in Hong Kong. If the Chinese pressed hard he should say
that we are still studying the matter and this should hold the position
for the L veing. Sir Alec recommended that if the Prime Minister
accepted this advice he did not think there was any need for the
Governor of Hong Kong and Sir John Addis to return to London for
consultations before Christmas.

I understand that the Prime Minister did not indicate any dissent from
this recommendation.

In any event the date originally under consideration for the briefing of
the Prime Minister is now only a few days away.

Sir Alec asked me to let you have this note in writing to confirm his
understanding of the position.

The Lord Bridges,

10, Downing Street,

LONDON, SW1.

CONFIDENTIAL

(Sgd) P. H

+

GRS 40

IMMEDIATE

CYPHER/CAT A

FM FCO 061245Z

SECRET

OZORET

TOP OF

FER

(FED)

TO IMMEDIATE GOV. HONG KONG TELNO 1248 OF 6TH DECEMBER 1973 AND

TO IMMEDIATE PEKING.

MY TEL NO 1242.

PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR AND AMBASSADOR FROM WILFORD.

S OF S SPOKE TO P.. THIS MORNING AND IT IS NOW 99% CERTAIN THAT YOUR
PRESENCE HERE WILL NOT REPEAT NOT NOW BE REQUIRED. FINAL CONFIRMATION
WILL FOLLOW.

DOUGLAS-HOME

FILES

FED

PS

P3/M2 ROKE

MR

WILFORD

MR YOU DE

+

1

CEORET

+

SECRET

(11°

TOP COFF

GRS 65

IMMEDIATE

CYPHER/CAT A

FM F.C.0. 651038Z

SECRET

TO IMMEDIATE GOVERNOR HONG KONG TELEGRAM NO 1242 OF 5 DECEMBER 1973

AND TO PEKING.

PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR AND AMBASSADOR FROM WILFORD,

P.M.'S VISIT TO BELGIUM AND S OF S'S TO SOVIET UNION HAVE DELAYED
DECISIONS, P.M. HAS SAID THAT HE WISHES TO SPEAK TO SIR ALEC BEFORE
DECIDING WHETHER EITHER OR BOTH OF YOU SHOULD BE RECALLED FOR
CONSULTATION, THEY CANNOT MEET BEFORE THURSDAY AT THE EARLIEST. I
APOLOGISE FOR THIS CONTINUING UNCERTAINTY,

DOUGLAS-HOME

FILES

VED

PS

PS/VR ROYLE

MR WILFORD MR YOUDE

SECRET

+

CONFIDENTIAL

I wie tall

Mr. Davies Win

рта

109

R.E.

7/12.

Mi Gyear.

Private Secretary (Mr Grattan)

CHINESE REPRESENTATION IN HONG KONG

1.

As requested in your minute to Mr Wilford of 4 December, I attach a
brief for the Secretary of State to use when he discusses this subject
with the Prime Minister (perhaps at Sunningdale tomorrow).

2. I have spoken to Mr Wilford and Mr Youde about the line to be taken
in the brief. It may be, however, that Mr Youde will have comments to
make. I am therefore sending him a copy of the brief (under a copy of
this minute).

R.M. Evans,

RM Evans

Far Eastern Department

5 December 1973

co.

Mr Youde

100 hope that the hot I will

سمنا

Vime to

Discum

the matter

Minds with

Jully with the P.M.

be on

Ireland

at fumming date. виший

Perhaps it might be wizer

speak to him elsewhere. A.R

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

CHINESE REPRESENTATION IN HONG KONG

Strategy

pexuscle

1. Our purpose is to pursue the Chinese to shelve their proposal

for a number of years. We want them to do this because we judge

that the advantages of accepting their proposal would be outweighed

by the disadvantages of doing so. We believe that acceptance of

the Chinese proposal could have seriously adverse effects on the

security, stability and prosperity of Hong Kong. We do not think

that continued rejection of the Chinese proposal would do serious

damage to relations between the United Kingdom and China or put

at risk any of the commercial irons we now have in the fire

(particularly over the sale of Spey engines or other items of

aerospace equipment).

Tactics

-

2. If we are to achieve this purpose, we think that the best

tactics are to persist in saying no to the Chinese proposal.

To do otherwise at any rate at the outset could lead the

Chinese to suppose that we would yield to the application of

additional pressure; it might even tempt them to link this

issue with others (e.g. the sale of aerospace equipment). If,

the Chinese were to make it clear in response to our

further rejection of their proposal that penalties might follow,

we might then have to fall back on a promise to study the matter

further. But no reports which we have received have suggested

that this is likely to be the case; if anything, rather the

of course,

reverse.

/Line

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

Line to take in public

3. We have no interest in volunteering anything about the

subject in public. But it is virtually certain that the Prime

Minister will be asked by journalists (in Peking or Hong Kong)

whether the subject was brought up. If the Prime Minister had

confined himself to telling the Chinese that we could not accept

their proposal, he could use the line with journalists which the

Secretary of State has already used in Parliament: that we have

given the Chinese no encouragement to pursue their proposal.

If the Prime Minister had promised to study the matter further,

he could say that it would continue to be studied.

Return of Sir Murray Maclehose and Sir John Addis

If the Prime Minister accepts the Secretary of State's advice

about strategy and tactics, there is probably no need for either

of the two to return to this country (though it might be as well

for the Prime Minister to have a word with Sir Murray Maclehose

on his way out to Peking). If, however, the Prime Minister has

doubts about this advice, we believethat both ought to return.

There would, however, be problems; the recall of Sir Murray

Maclehose at the same time as Sir John Addis would be bound to

generate speculation in the press (certainly in Hong Kong and

perhaps in this country too) about the subject in general.

Far Eastern Department

5 December 1973

CONFIDENTIAL - 2

-

Mr. Wilford

CONFIDENTIAL

FEA

Tot

Chinese Representation in Hong Kong

I am sorry to revert to the question of reporting to No. 10 the
Secretary of State's comments on the paper about Chinese representation.
I mentioned on the telephone that I saw some difficulty in a rather full
elaboration of a minute by the Secretary of State which was already
self-contained and clear. I have tried to make some amendments to the
draft but do not see how we can send it as it stands. The Secretary of
State's minute says that he does not think that the Chinese will press
too hard and therefore to say that we will continue to study the matter
will be sufficient to hold the line. The commentary on the minute says
that the minute suggests that the Prime Minister should in the first
instance say no. I am not sure we can put such interpretations on the
Secretary of State's minute without further discussion with the
Secretary of State. Also the line to be taken in public as given in your
paragraph 4 would have to be cleared with him.

2.

It now looks as though the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State
will have a word about this, perhaps in the margins of the tripartite
conference in Sunningdale on Thursday. It might be best for the
Secretary of State to make his comments orally to the Prime Minister.
Could FED, to whom a copy of this minute goes, please prepare a brief on
the line for the Secretary of State to take about recalling the Governor
and Sir John Addis, on the line the Prime Minister should take in Peking
and on the press line? Could we have this by Wednesday evening.

Brief subrivied

Copied to:

PS/Mr. Royle

Mr. Evans

MED

Stuart

R.E. 512.

7/12

CONFIDENTIAL

plorat

(P. H. Grattan)

4 December, 1973

+

PAIME

MINISTER

CONFIDENTIAL

gen-Wilford/12. Toute

Ps/lus

وء

1680

fal

10 Downing Street

Whitehall

107

(10

4 December, 1973.

Dear Patrick the

Thank you for your letter of 30 November enclosing a memorandum about
Chinese representation in Hong Kong. The Prime Minister has read the
paper, the minute from the Parliamentary Secretary, and the other
documents referred to.

The Prime Minister would next like to discuss the situation with the
Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary, before deciding whether it is
necessary to ask the Governor of Hong Kong and H.M. Ambassador in Peking
to return to this country for consultations. I should be grateful if you
could get in touch with us so as to fix an early date when the Prime
Minister and Sir Alec Douglas-Home are both free.

I am sending a copy of this letter to Webster (Cabinet Office).

your ever

Tay Bridger

Mida Mi Darix

مند

The Pir.addies of

I will probably discuss the problen fo-day. I have submitted a brick.

P.H. Grattan, Esq.,

Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

CONHDENTRE

R.E.

2

Mr Stuart

CONFIDENTIAL

R:CEIVED IN

REGISTRY No. 52

- 5 DEC 1973

Fist 3/2

p.or. (106

1. I see that the record of Lord Kennet's talk with Mr Royle quotes, on
page 3, Mr Royle as saying: "Wewere making provision for the future by
amending the Fugitive Offenders Act". I imagine that he was not as
specific as that. Does the record need amending?

30 November 1973

Youde

M.

We managed to stay this before it left the office, micluding

Sertunately it

во

despatched to Hong Kong

corrected version

FED Momised

C

AC

3/12

CONFIDENTIAL

Prime Minister

CHINESE REPRESENTATION IN HONG KONG

As I mentioned to you on Tuesday evening when we spoke

about this, we are now providing you with further briefing.

This consists principally of a condensed summary of the

facts and arguments. We have also sent despatches from

Sir John Addis in Peking and the Governor himself arguing

their sides of the case.

105

You may not have time to read the despatches

but I urge you to read the summary

I should be very glad to discuss this further with you,

if you should so wish.

A.R

30 November, 1973

Anthony Royle

Comments

Approved members can add comments, bookmarks, and private notes.

No comments yet.

Private Research Note

Private notes are available after approval.