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British negotiating team: Quoting Beijing sources, the HK Economic Journal reported on May 28 that members of the British negotiating team had been named. They were Lord Belstead, Sir Percy Gradock, a former Political Adviser in Hong Kong, Mr. Alan Donald, Lord MacLehose and Sir Edward Youde. A government official was quoted as saying the five were well-versed in Chinese and Hong Kong affairs. However, it was unlikely that all five would be included in the negotiating team. He held the view that Sir Percy, being the Ambassador in Beijing, would automatically become the chief negotiator.
Citizenship of HK residents: A report filed by the London correspondent of the Oriental Daily News quoted a foreign policy spokesman for the Labour Party as saying the people of HK were very likely to obtain citizenship similar to that enjoyed by the people of the Falklands Islands and Gibraltar if the Labour Party come to power. In other words. local residents might get the right of abode in the UK.
Street Poll: The public felt that if Hong Kong eventually reverted to China they would prefer genuine self-rule, or to have Hong Kong entrusted to the UK for a certain period, according to a street poll conducted by Kung Sheung Evening News. Most respondents felt that the self-rule concept was worth a try if there were no other alternatives. The interviewees shared the view that the future chief administrator should be familiar with the
local situation.
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