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The SCMP reported on Monday that HKU lecturer, Dr. John Young, had said HK would remain a capitalist centre after 1997, an impression he obtained during his recent visit to China with a group of academics and scientists. He said apart from dropping the word 'Colony' the territory's existing systems would remain unchanged; the lifestyle of the people and their freedom to travel would also not be changed. He defined a 'HK Belonger' as any resident who recognised the Beijing Government as the sole legal government of China and who acknowledged that HK was part of China. The current talks were described as 'two-legged'; Dr. Young got the impression that the views of HK people on the issue were being seriously considered by Beijing and they would be notified on the progress of negotiations in due course. HK residents were also welcome to go to China to express their views. China would not change its policy on sovereignty and if discussions with Britain did not succeed China would change its plan for retrieving HK. There would be more economic co-operation between Britain and China and more domestic markets in China would be opened up to British businessmen. China was working on two mini-constitutions, one for Taiwan and one for HK, whose residents' views would be taken into consideration. When Dr. Young asked whether the group could release information on their discussions, he was told he could say whatever he liked.
The Ta Kung Pao Weekly Supplement for 14 - 20 April gave an account of the comments of the 30-member group of intellectuals who visited China at the beginning of this month, with the headline: "HK's future to be settled through diplomatic channels"; there was also coverage of Lord Cockfield's press conference on 12 April, emphasising his remarks on Sino-British co-operation on the N-power plant, and the appointment of Liang Lingguang as Governor of Guangdong; the vice-minister of China's Ministry of Foreign Economic Relations, Mr. Zheng Tuobin, was reported to have said when interviewed by "China Market" recently that expanding trade between the mainland and HK helped boost local stability and prosperity; and Mr. Roland Moyle was quoted as saying the Chinese Government was totally sincere in its commitment to HK's continuing prosperity. The paper also published the names of the 16 HK residents who were elected as deputies to the 6th National People's Congress. They were: Chuang Shih Ping, director of Board of Hongkong Nanyang Commercial Bank Ltd; Li Jusheng, second director of the Xinhua News Agency (Hongkong branch); Yeung Kwong, president of the Hongkong Federation of Trade Unions; Wong Yin Fong, deputy chief director of the Hongkong Federation of Trade Unions; Luk Tat Him, deputy chief director of the Hongkong Federation of Trade Unions; Chun Fai, vice-chairman of Hongkong Seamen's Union; Chan Chik Gui, vice-chairman of Hongkong Union of Chinese Workers in Western Style Employment; Lee Lin Sheng, deputy chief director of Hongkong Farming Association; Shek Wai, actress of Great Wall Movie Enterprise Ltd; Ng Hong Man, principal of Pui Kiu Middle School; Fei Yi-ming, director of Ta Kung Pao; Tong Ping Tat, vice-chairman of Chinese General Chamber of Commerce; Dr. Fong Shan Kwei, senior deputy general manager of Bank of China (Hongkong branch); Chen Hong, senior deputy general manager of Bank of China (Hongkong branch); Liang Sien, director and general manager of Kiu Kwong Investment Corp., Ltd; Tong Chee-on, doctor of the Clinic of the Hongkong Federation of Trade Unions.
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