CONFIDENTIAL
HEF OCOLL
RELIVED IN REGISTRY NO. 51
1 JUN1979
OFFICER
PA
25 May, 1979
REGISTRY Action Taken
J T Masefield Esq
Far Eastern Department
FCO
ما
23075
COLLIENTS BY DONG XIANG ON THE BRITISH ELECTION AND SONG ZHINGUANG'S REMARKS ON HONG KONG
I am enclosing a translation of an article in the last issue of Dong Xiang (The Trend). This particular journal is close to the Party organisation, and sold in Communist bookstores, although it does not strictly follow the official Party line.
2.
Quite apart from what is said about the election and Mrs Thatcher, I was interested by the interpretation the journal puts on the remarks made by Mr Song on the future of Hong Kong. Although we do not see it that way ourselves, the fact that such a
journal can speculate that his remarks were designed as an "election gift to Mrs Thatcher probably reflects accurately the Chinese view that what he said was all designed to boost confidence in Hong Kong.
cc WE Quantrill Esq
(DC Wilson)
Hong Kong & General Dept
K Sullivan Esq Peking
CONFIDENTIAL
103