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CONFIDENTIAL
OVERALL INCREASE OF 7. THE MOST PROMINENT HONG KONG PARTICIPANT IS ALAN LAU OF THE MILLIES GROUP (ONE OF THE FIRST HONG KONG COMPANIES TO INVEST IN THE SHENZHEN SEZ), WHO IS ATTENDING THE PROVINCIAL PCC.
3. AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL MEETINGS OF THE NPC AND CPPCC THERE IS AN ADDITIONAL CATEGORY OF 'SPECIALLY INVITED' DELEGATES WHICH WOULD ENABLE PEOPLE FROM HONG KONG AND MACAU TO BE INVITED DIRECTLY WITHOUT HAVING TO ATTEND THE PREPARATORY PROVINCIAL LEVEL MEETINGS. IN ADDITION TO THE INVITATIONS MENTIONED IN MY TELNO 381 WE KNOW OF A NUMBER OF APPROACHES TO LOCAL PERSONALITIES, USUALLY IN THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY. MANY OF THESE INVITATIONS
APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN DECLINED, BUT THOSE OF WHICH WE ARE AWARE
ARE NO DOUBT ONLY THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG.
4. THE COMMUNIST PRESS HAVE BEEN RELATIVELY QUIET OVER THE PAST
FORTNIGHT. THEY HAVE CONTINUED TO PUBLISH INTERVIEWS WITH NON-COMMUNIST PEOPLE WHO EXPRESS OPTIMISM ABOUT THE FUTURE, AND
COMMENTARY ARTICLES HIGHLIGHTING THE UNDERLYING STRENGTHS OF
HONG KONG'S ECONOMY WHICH ARE THEN ADDUCED AS PROOF OF HONG
KONG PEOPLE'S TRUST IN CHINA'S INTENTIONS. THIS PATTERN WAS
HOWEVER BROKEN BY AN EDITORIAL IN THE NEW EVENING POST ON 7 APRIL.
FOR DETAILS SEE MIFT.
YOUDE
FUTURE OF HONG KÒNG
TAEMINUED
ED/HKGD
HD/FED
ED/PLANNING STAFF
ED/PUSD PS
PS/MR HURD
PS/LORD BELSTEAD PS/PUS
SIR J BULLARD
MR GIFFARD
MR DONALD
COPIES TO
SIR I SINCLAIR LEGAL ADVISER MR BURROWS LEGAL ADVISERS
MR ROBERTS NEWS D
MR MARTIN
ASSESSMENTS STAFF CABINET OFFICE
MR FLOWER
PUSD
MR COLES NO 10 DOWNING STREET
2
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