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HKC 121/./
h
MOOD
INDEX
HOME AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT
བྱ ༩༨!333973
4th January 1978
PA
(MOVEMENT OF OPINION DIRECTION)
DIRECTIONS
Tazen
MOOD is written for senior officers who are familiar with the general background of life in Hong Kong, who have experience of contact with the public themselves, and who are familiar with up-to-date news of Government interest. Its objectives remain a sounding of public opinion and an assessment of public reactions, attitudes and feelings in appropriate instances. Heads of Departments are asked to ensure that their copies of MOOD are circulated selectively and stored securely at all times.
A
(a)
The Public's Impressions of Hong Kong's Economy Mixed Reactions: Steady Performance on the whole for 1977 but Prospects for 1978 Uncertain
(3,115 respondents)
Impact of the ELC threat more psychological than real?
There was a considerable amount of publicity/media reporting on this subject, giving rise to echoing public comment, particularly among the middle class, but much of the talk was speculative and uninformed. The small minority actually in the know, i.e. industrialists and exporters in the textiles and garment business were discreet and reticent, especially at the beginning. After conclusion of the talks, they became more outspoken. They were generally sympathetic towards the Hong Kong Team, but dissatisfied and critical towards the "unhelpful and unfair manner in which the UK had sold Hong Kong's interests down the river." (b) Working class families and low income groups dis-
played little knowledge of either the nature of the LEC talks or the implications, except some occasional mention of textile and garment industries "suffering set-backs because of restrictions imposed by overseas importers". After the recent briefings given by TIC staff to concerned businessmen, the general feedback was. that the immediate effects of the restrictions were not as bad as first feared or predicted.
/Manufacturers
(c)
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