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spent, bulk of his career in the administration of Guangdong
し
and Sichuan provinces.
He owes his present position to
Deng Xiaoping whom he impressed with his successful management
of Sichuan. Many of the reforms he pioneered there have
since become national models.
Together with Hu Yaobang, Zhao forms the kernel of the
collective leadership that Deng Xiaoping is seeking to
establish to ensure the continuity of his policies for China's
development. As Premier, Zhao is in charge of the government
work and will thus have an important say in decisions on
Hong Kong's future. He was Mrs Thatcher's main interlocutor
during her visit to China in September 1982. He has himself
received a number of visitors from Hong Kong most of whom
were prominent businessmen. They include: Gordon YS WU and
Eddie PC Ho of Hopewell Holdings in 1981 and 1982; Fung King Hey, Chairman of Sun Hung Kai Securities; Li Ka-
Ka-Shing,
Chairman of Cheung Kong (Holdings); T K Ann, Chairman of the
Winsor Industrial Corporation; H C Tang, President of the
Federation of Hong Kong Industries, and Cheng Yu-Tung,
Chairman of the New World Development Company (until 1982).
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