§ Mr. Parryasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the reported statement of the Chinese Foreign Secretary Mr. Qi Huaiyuan on the future of Hong Kong, details of which have been sent to him by the hon. Member for Liverpool, Riverside.
§ Mr. LuceMr. Qi Huaiyuan, press spokesman for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said in Peking on 9 November that
Certain correspondents have asked whether China had changed its position on the question of a deadline for the Hong Kong talks. China's position has not changed. China will announce its policy and guidelines for Hong Kong not later than September 1984. We hope that before then agreement can be reached with the British side. But if no agreement is reached China will unilaterally announce its policy and guidelines.Our talks with the Government of the People's Republic of China about the future of Hong Kong are taking place with the common aim of maintaining the stability and prosperity of Hong Kong. No overall timetable has been agreed. In our view, the important objective is to reach the right solution.
§ Mr. Parryasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the most recent round of discussions on the future of Hong Kong.
§ Mr. LuceThe sixth round in the second, more detailed phase of the Sino-British talks on Hong Kong's future was held on 14 and 15 November in Peking. Both sides agreed that it was useful and constructive. The next round will be on 7 and 8 December, again in Peking.