Five papers
the Financial Daily (8.1.82), the Hong Kong Daily News (8.1.82), Wah Kiu Yat Po (9.1.82), the Express (8.1.82) and Tin Fung Yat Po (6.1.82, 8.1.82) felt that Mr. Atkins's trip was aimed at paving the way for the visit to China by the Prime Minister, Mrs. Thatcher, in September. Some of them believed that the question of Hong Kong's future would be on the agenda of the meeting between Mrs. Thatcher and Chinese leaders.
Wah Kiu, Sing Tao Jih Pao (18.1.82) and the Financial Daily hoped Mrs. Thatcher's visit would bring about a settlement on the 1997 issue. Kung Sheung Daily News (15.1.82), however, envisaged that the lid could not be taken off the NT lease question until investment from Hong Kong in China's special economic zones had almost reached a saturation point and the ruling hierarchy in that country consolidated its power.
While the Hong Kong Standard (12.1.82) regretted that "the guessing game (on Hong Kong's future) goes on" despite Mr. Atkins's trip to Beijing, the South China Morning Post (11.1. 82) saw it as "a heartening change" in China's attitude that the country at length recognised the 1997 problem and the danger of leaving it unresolved. The Express took Mr. Atkins's remark "China realised that time is moving on" as an indication that the country's leadership had decided that it should no longer drag its feet on the issue.
In a second editorial, the Express (11.1.82) was glad that China had indicated to Mr. Atkins that it would consult the local Government and people when working out a solution to 1997. Hong Kong would have a bright future if China lived up to its assurance to the British visitor that it would not do anything to mar Hong Kong's prosperity, it added.
The Star (12.1.82), however, noted that Mr. Atkins had not mentioned how locals would be consulted by China on this major issue. Convinced that residents' views would probably be represented by Unofficial Members in the Legislative and Executive Councils who would be "acting in good faith but without mandate", the paper stressed the need to phase out Unofficials and replace them with "official representatives of the people." In fact, this point was highlighted earlier by the paper on 9.1.82 when it sneered at Mr. Atkins's observation that the question of Hong Kong's future was a problem that "doesn't have to solved by the first of March." British officials visiting Hong Kong should be told the naked truth that the people here are no longer street urchins waiting with bated breath for words of wisdom from London and that a more honest approach to 1997 was needed, the paper said.
-
Wah Kiu Yat Po (12.1.82) said that in the present circumstances, Mr. Atkins's remark "Chinese leaders are starting to study the line they should take on Hong Kong's future" was the best guarantee for the territory's future status. Together with the Centre Daily News (12.1.82), the paper said people should not have undue worries over the 1997 question because, they believed, a solution would be worked out when the time was ripe. Sharing the optimism, the Chinese Star (12.1.82) observed that the issue could be satisfactorily resolved so long as the parties concerned were prepared to do something about it.
The Hong Kong Daily News (8.1.82) and Sing Tao Wan Pao (7.1.82) envisaged that China would not make a clear-cut stand on the 1997 question in the near future. Britain and China would, if need be, issue a communique or sign a secret pact which would preserve Hong Kong's status quo but which would not forfeit China's sovereignty over Hong Kong, the Daily News added.
Wah Kiu Yat Po (9.1.82) in a commentary, together with the Chinese Star (15.1.82) in a feature article, however, felt that the question of Hong Kong's future and the NT lease could be dealt with separately. They said it would be possible for the NT and northern Kowloon to be merged with the Shenzhen special economic zones while the ceded territories on Hong Kong Island and southern Kowloon would preserve their status quo.
In another editorial (12.1.82), the Daily News said China would not take hasty steps because such a move would have profound political ramifications. This view was endorsed by Kung Sheung Daily News. In a third editorial (11.1.82), the Daily News hoped China would not change Hong Kong's democratic system because, it said, such a system was the corner-stone of the territory's prosperity.