Hong Kong’s status

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33064, 3 November 1972, Page 8

Hong Kong’s status

In June the British Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Mr Anthony Royle, reported after an official visit to Peking that a new and more cordial relationship was emerging between Britain and China. Mr Royle said he had been cheered to discover that Chairman Mao’s Government had no present wish to change or challenge the administrative situation in Hong Kong, which served not only as a window looking into China but also as one looking out of China. In his talks with the Chinese leaders, Mr Royle said, he had urged that communications between Peking and Hong Kong should be improved, so that problems affecting the colony could be discussed directly between the Government there and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Peking. It is probable that the British Foreign Secretary, Sir Alec Douglas-Home, has been discussing in Peking not only the question of the colony’s future — the British lease still has 25 years to run — but the communications issue as well, assuming that China has no immediate wish to change the status of the territory by absorbing it into China.

The Chinese view has always been understood to be that action would be taken to recover the region, including that portion of it leased to Britain “ under “ duress ”, when the time is considered “ ripe ”. Officially, the Chinese regard Hong Kong as part of China. Ten years ago the Prime Minister, Chou En-lai, preferred to regard the movement of refugees into Hong Kong as no more than a movement of population from one Chinese area to another. It may well be thought advantageous in Peking not to interfere with the status of the colony, at any rate until the expiry of the lease. There has been little disturbance there. Communist-inspired or otherwise, in the last year or two; and, as relations with Britain have steadily improved, Peking may not want to upset a trading association with Hong Kong which China has reason to value highly. A very large inflow of convertible foreign exchange results from China’s sales of foodstuffs and other essential goods to the colony Peking can afford to let the current relationship stand in the meantime, if only on the grounds of trading advantage.

Should China wish to take over the entire territory, including the mainland region that is subject to lease, Britain would not actively resist, although it would expect to be adequately compensated for its vast investment there. The view expressed five years ago in an article in the “ Round “ Table ”, that Britain is merely “ caretaking ” in Hong Kong until the Chinese decide what its future is to be, still seems to be valid.