Mr Clift
02619
PRESS ITEMS: 18 APRIL
1 MAY
AKK 026/9
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY NO. 51
1 1 MAY 1981
DESK OFFICER
INDEX
مر
PA
•
REGISTRY
Action Taken
झाङ गितमात
1. The main topics were
a) The Future of Hong Kong (Para 2)
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35
b)
Hong Kong's external trade (Para 3)
Mac Lennan Inquiry (Para 5)
c) Water supplies (Para 4)
a)
e) Nationality Bill (Para 6)
f) Maternity leave (Para 7)
g) Bus fares (Para 8)
h)
Statements by the Canadian Commissioner (Para 9)
i) Corruption
j) Textiles.
2. The future of Hong Kong and the New Territories lease have been discussed almost every day in the press since Lord Carrington's visit. The Asian Wall Street Journal said that Hong Kong is suffering from 'lease syndrome'. Several papers have interpreted the Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank's bid for the Royal Bank of Scotland as an attempt to transfer funds out of the Territory due to a lack of confidence in Hong Kong's future. A number of papers were unhappy with Deng's recent assurances, noting that he did not say whether the status of Hong Kong would change. Mr David Steel MP was reported as saying that he had been told by Li Xiannian that the question of Hong Kong would be discussed after the 6th plenum of the Central Committee later this year.
3.
Trade figures published for January and February shown a 7% fall in the volume of domestic exports to the UK and Federal Republic of Germany. This is thought to be due to recession in these markets.
4.
Amid concern at the water shortage on Hong Kong Island, it was announced that China intends to begin schemes designed to treble its water supplies to the Territory.
15.