CONFIDENTIAL
GPS 300
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG 190245Z JUL 93
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELEGRAM NUMBER 1031 OF 19 JULY 1983
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING
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A
409
pani578.
MY TELS NOS 988 AND 1003 AND PEKING TELNO 731 TO HONG KONG :
FUTURE OF HONG KONG: DENG XIAOPING'S REMARKS TO HONG KONG
DELEGATES TO THE CPPCC/NPC.
1. ACCOUNTS OF THE CONVERSATION BETWEEN DHENG XIAOPING THE
DELEGATES TO THE NPC/CPPCC LAST MONTH ARE CONTINUING TO APPEAR
IN THE LOCAL PRESS, NOTABLY IN THE MAGAZINES OF POLITICAL
COMMENT LIKE THE MIRROR AND THE SEVENTIES. WE HAVE RECEIVED VIA
ALLAN LEE (UNOFFICIAL MEMBER OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL AND
LEADER OF THE YOUNG PROFESSIONALS DELEGATION) NOTES OF THE
MEETING TAKEN BY ONE OF THOSE PRESENT. THE MOST SIGNIFICANT--
EXTRACTS ARE AS FOLLOWS (FULL TRANSLATION FOLLOWS BY BAG
TO HONG KONG DEPARTMENT AND PEKING):-
2. QUOTE
MKK040|1
T
ONE OF THE HONG KONG AND MACAU DELEGATES ASKED IF THE WORD **APPROPRIATE TWICE MENTIONED BY ZHAU ZIYANG IN HIS REPORT
SIGNIFIED THAT HONG KONG WOULD NOT NECESSARILY BE RECOVEREDD IN
1997. DENG XIAOPING REPLIED, ''OUR POSITION HAS REMAINED
UNCHANGED. ''APPROPRIATE'' DOES NOT IMPLY THAT THAT THE
RECOVERY WILL BE DEFFERRED, BUT SIGNIFIES THAT SHOULD THE SITUATION
GET OUT OF HAND WHEN PEOPLE MAKE TROUBLE, THE ISSUE WILL BE DEALT
WITH IN AN 'APPROPRIATE MANNER. WE DO NOT WANT TO SEE THIS
!
HAPPEN. WE HOPE TO TAKE HONG KONG BACK IN 1997, BUT THIS IS NOT
FOR US TO DECIDE.
3. DENG ALSO SAID, 'WHEN EDWARD HEATT VISITED CHINA SEVERAL YEARS AGO, I TALKED WITH HIM ABOUT A NUMBER OF THINGS WHICH WOULD REMAIN UNCHANGED. THE SOCIAL SYSTEM AND THE LIFE-STYLE WOULD
BE THE SAME WHILE PEOPLE'S LIVING STANDARDS WOULD NOT BE LOWERED.
THE LAW MUST UNDERGO CHANGES. NOT TO CHANGE THE LAW AT ALL WOULD
BE OUT OF THE QUESTION, FOR ANYTHING THAT SMACKS OF COLONIALISM
OF GREAT BRITAIN MUST BE REMOVED. ON THIS EDWARD HEATH AGREED.''
4. DENG XAOPING ADDED, ''WHEN MRS. MARGARET THATCHER VISITED
CHINA, I TALKED WITH HER ABOUT THREE QUESTIONS: (1) TO HOLD THE HONG KONG TALKS ON THE PREMISE THAT CHINA WILL REGAIN SOVEREIGNTY
OVER HONG KONG AND KOWLOON IN 1997: (2) TO DISCUSS THE SYSTEM TO
SE ADOPTED IN HONG KONG UPON REVESION OF SOVEREIGNTY AND TO KEEP
SEVERAL THINGS UNCHANGED: - THE FREE LIFE - STYLE WOULD NOT SE
CHANGED THE STATUS OF HONG KONG AS A FINANCIAL CENTRE AND
FREE PORT WOULD BE MAINTAINED, THE LAW WOULD REMAIN BASICALLY UN-
CHANGED WHILE THE FINAL JUDICIAL POWER WOULD REST WITH HONG KONG'S
HIGHEST COURT:
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CONFIDENTIAL
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