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The documents describe American concerns about Hong Kong’s handover to China in 1997. Photo: Robert Ng

Newly released CIA files reveal anxiety over Hong Kong’s future under Chinese rule

Millions of pages of historical intelligence analysis and research include hundreds of records relating to Hong Kong

The United States Central Intelligence Agency released more than 12 million pages of historical documents online this week.

The trove, which features files from as late as the 1990s, includes hundreds of records relating to Hong Kong, with many of them raising concerns about the region’s future ahead of the 1997 transfer of sovereignty to China.

Although the CIA is required to declassify most documents after 25 years, many records covering the agency’s work from the 1940s to the 1990s could previously only be found at the US National Archives in Maryland. Freedom of information advocates had long called for the records to be uploaded onto the internet.

The new online collection includes millions of pages of intelligence analysis and scientific research as well as papers from former US secretary of state Henry Kissinger, who served under presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford, from 1973 to 1977.

Ma Ngok, associate professor at Chinese University’s department of government and public administration, said such documents “can be useful in terms of understanding” the American view on Hong Kong issues and better understanding the relationship between the US and China.

The documents describe American concerns about Hong Kong’s handover to China in 1997. Photo: Handout

Some of the files give an insight into the sort of information the American government had gathered in Hong Kong. They also show that current concerns over what some see as Beijing’s meddling in the city’s issues were similarly felt years before the city’s handover to China.

“Beijing is sending more personnel into Hong Kong, using Chinese cover companies, trade unions, the New China News Agency and legitimate business activities to build influence,” a document dated September 19, 1986 by the US directorate of intelligence read.

That report described at length the political situation at the time, two years after Beijing and London signed the Sino-British Joint Declaration which set forth the basic principles for Hong Kong’s reversion to Chinese sovereignty on July 1, 1997.

“London appears resigned to a slow decline in its sway over Hong Kong rather than risk jeopardising its growing economic ties to Beijing,” the document read. “Differences over timing and the extent of political reforms for Hong Kong are the major cause of concern between the UK and China.”

Another CIA file entitled “Hong Kong: Looking Towards 1997”, from December 1988, said that although the British and Chinese were showing an “ability to work together”, there were “some thorny issues” which “could adversely affect Hong Kong’s longer term prospects”.

Among them, “we believe the most important is the degree of autonomy Beijing is prepared to grant the city under the so-called Basic Law”, the Americans said.

The intelligence assessment mentioned “local groups” who had criticised the draft law as vague, “in particular for failing to provide adequate safeguards against Chinese interference in the city’s internal affairs after 1997”.

The handover ceremony for Hong Kong at midnight on June 30, 1997. Photo: Robert Ng

The collection of documents also includes information on issues such as US-China relations and the role of Taiwan.

“Taiwan remains the central question in Sino-American relations,” noted a memorandum for US state secretary Kissinger from American service officer and diplomat John Holdridge, dated August 20, 1971.
Among the files, some of them with parts redacted, are also transcripts of conversations. One discussion between Kissinger, an ambassador, US liaison officers and National Security Council staff in March 1973 addressed issues such as travel restrictions for diplomats in China along with more prosaic topics including what gifts to give Chinese officials during a visit.

Alfred Jenkins, then deputy-designate of the US Liaison Office, said: “Some people ... have the idea the ambassador should present a moon rock when he goes over there. I think it’s a silly idea.”

To which Kissinger responded: “It’s already been done! We did it in July 1971.”

This article appeared in the South China Morning Post print edition as: C.I.A. files show handover anxiety
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