NNNN
SENT 0951 HAA
25404
HKGOVT G
24 145
RTRLDN G
HKK 26/3
RECENZ
*
8 MAR 1979
39
V
INDEX
284 04
HKGOVT G
73380 GOVHK HX
00 HONGAID
GRS 250
UNCLASSIFIED
FM HONG KONG 07110OZ MAR 79
TO IMMEDIATE F C O
TELEGRAM NUMBER 4L OF 7 MARCH
No
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON INFO PRIORITY PEKING.
HONGAID PLEASE PASS TO HK AND G DEPT AND FED.
34 MY TELNO 336: GOVERNOR'S VISIT TO CHINA.
1. THE OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE GOVERNOR'S VISIT TO CHINA IS REPORTED PROMINENTLY IN TODAY'S ENGLISH AND CHINESE PRESS. EDITORIAL COMMENT WELCOMES THE VISIT, WITH A NUMBER OF NEWSPAPERS MAKING THE POINT THAT IT IS INDICATIVE OF THE PRESENT EXCELLENT RELATIONS BETWEEN CHINA AND BRITAIN AND CHINESE SATISFACTION OVER THE PRESENT STATE OF AFFAIRS IN HONG KONG.
2. A NUMBER OF PAPERS SAY THAT IMMIGRATION IS ONE OF THE SUBJECTS LIKELY TO BE RAISED BY THE GOVERNOR DURING HIS VISIT. OTHERS MENTION CHINA'S PLANS FOR MODERNISATION, COMMUNICATIONS AND JOINT VENTURES. SOME QUOTE RELIABLE SOURCES' AS SAYING THAT THE NEW TERRITORIES LEASE WILL NOT BE DISCUSSED.
3. THE SCMP ALSO CARRIES A STORY FROM ITS LONDON CORRESPONDENT. THIS SAYS THAT OFFICIALS IN LONDON ARE VERY HAPPY AND ENCOURAGED BY THE FORTHCOMING VISIT. IT ALSO SAYS THAT THERE IS ''MUCH PRIVATE SPECULATION AMONG MINISTERS AND OFFICIALS' ABOUT WHETHER THE CHINESE INTEND TO RAISE THE FUTURE RENEWAL OF THE NEW TERRITORIES LEASE'', ADDING HOWEVER THAT THERE HAS BEEN ''NO OFFICIAL HINT' TO THIS EFFECT.
MACLEHOSE
NNNN
SENT 1114 2/07 AA
284 Cu
HKGOVT G
73380 GOVHK HX