Kowtowing Sinophile: Sir Percy Cradock and the Future of Hong Kong

Abstract

My paper is about Sir Percy Cradock, who was the British Ambassador to China in the years 1978-1984. He was the chief British negotiator during the talks regarding the future of Hong Kong in this period, and later became an outspoken critic of British and colonial policies regarding the territory during his retirement from 1993 onwards. Cradock’s historical legacy in the history of Hong Kong and of Sino-British relations is often overshadowed by those who are better known, such as Lord Patten. My paper uses the recently released Cradock personal papers collection, in conjunction with his published memoirs and archival material at the National Archives, to explore how and why Cradock became a harsh critic of the government that he had just retired from. I will discuss how his Foreign Office Sinologist background affected his thoughts and actions when dealing with Hong Kong. My paper will discuss the very public argument between Cradock and the last Governor of Hong Kong, Chris Patten. I will also explore his media appearances during his retirement, and his private misgivings over the media portrayal of his views. I will talk about the value and shortcomings of using memoirs and personal papers in the study of history, particularly diplomatic history, and suggest some potential future topics of research in Sino-British history.