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of Britain's position. She was sharply criticized by a Chinese statement
of the Foreign Ministry's Information Department spokesman who said that
Peking's "consistent position" is that "China is not bound by the unequal
treaties and that the whole Hong Kong area will be recovered when conditions
are ripe."
Although secret talks between Britain and China have begun, British
officials have been reluctant to discuss the matter of Hong Kong's future
status in anything but the most general terms. For their part, PRC leaders
from time to time have commented to Hong Kong visitors on China's concern
for the future prosperity and stability of the territory, while underlining
China's determination to reassert sovereignty.
A detailed description of PRC intentions was given by National People's
Congress Vice Chairman Liao Chengzhi, who was China's leading expert on
Hong Kong matters, in remarks to a visiting Hong Kong industrialist that
were reported by the Hong Kong press in late November, 1982. Liao said
that China is determined to regain sovereignty over Hong Kong by 1997 at
the latest.' He clarified that Beijing does not want Britain to remain as
the administering agent of Hong Kong, but would rather the Hong Kong Govern-
ment be run by the "people" of Hong Kong. He added that the PRC will not
appoint any officer of the Hong Kong government. Hong Kong's official status
would be as a special autonomous administrative zone, which has been legally
established in article 31 of the recent PRC constitution. Beijing says
will use the same legal device when Taiwan is reunified with the mainland.
Liao also gave other details in China's position, which he indicated
would be completely worked out once Beijing finishes drafting plans for
Hong Kong's future "in around a year." He said:
it