A
布政司署
香港下亞畢道
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Dew Philyp
Future of Hong Kong: The Seventies
11 March 1981
Mr Firs
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Two thoughtful articles for the HK
Chivere prese
A
C. Muine
I have been asked to reply to Patrick Williamson's letter to David Wilson of 10 February about the article entitled "A Plan for solving Hong Kong's Political Future" which appeared in "The Seventies" January edition.
2•
You
The view here is that the article was entirely unofficial, albeit novel and interesting. This seems to be very much the style of the magazine. may recall that it earlier published Walter Easy's thesis on the solution of Hong Kong's future, which we reported at the time.
3. Of more interest has been the recent five-part series of editorials in 'Ming Bao' on a similar subject (I enclose two of the more interesting instalments). This newspaper is generally regarded as a more-or-less neutral and "intellectual" daily. However, the series has clearly taken account of "The Seventies" article, referring as it does to the idea that the Chinese will give 15 years notice of any change in Hong Kong's status.
19/2
4. The 'Ming Bao' editorials are further noteworthy because of the relationship between the newspaper's editor Louis Cha and Xinhua's First Director Wang Kuang. Although we have no evidence to suggest that Cha had discussed the editorials with Wang beforehand, it is certainly true that the two meet fairly regularly. We shall report again on any indication Cha gives about Wang Kuang's reaction to the editorials. We have so far come across no response to the subject from
communist circles.
SECRE
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Reter
(P I Webb)
APA2
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