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In an article reviewing developments in Shenzhen, Wen Wei Po said, as a result of co-operation between HK and Shenzhen, border crossing procedures had been relaxed and more crossing points would be opened soon. It said in 1982 Shenzhen clinched 552 deals with foreign investors and total investment amounted to HK$1 285 million.
In TVB's "Focus" programme on 5 January, the New Evening Post's T.S. Tsang said that HK would benefit significantly from China's oil exploration projects.
In a commentary on 6 January, Ta Kung Pao allayed HK residents' fears over a class struggle and the changeability in China upon reversion of sovereignty. It said the upheavals during the Cultural Revolution were caused by individual cults. Such practice was no longer tolerated in China. Besides, those who had first-hand experience of the upheavals had now developed a sense to distinguish right from wrong and they would not allow the extreme. leftists to stage a comeback. It said there would be no more class struggle and political movements. The current paramount tasks of China were economic construction and raising the living standards of the people.
In an editorial on 6 January, Ching Po said compatriots in HK were patriots as long as they supported the motherland's intention to regain sovereignty over HK, although they might have different ideas on how to maintain HK's prosperity and on the feasibility of the self-rule proposal.
In a commentary on 9 January, a Ta Kung Pao columnist said Chinese leaders were as much concerned about HK's future as local residents. They had access to public opinion here through views expressed in the newspapers which arrived in Beijing on the day of publication. Their understanding of local public feeling was reflected in the statements they made on the HK issue. He said there were five apprehensions as far as HK people were concerned. They were lowering of living standards, loss of property, the start of political movements, loss of freedom, and change of life-style. To allay these fears, China came up with five "unchanges". They were capitalism, free port status, financial centre, legal system and life-style. In return, Beijing hoped compatriots in HK would show patriotism.
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There were fewer editorials in right-wing and other papers on HK's prospects. The Financial Daily was optimistic that an agreement would be reached on HK's future this year. The paper based its optimism on three reasons: China's "babbling" about the self-rule proposal had stopped and Mr. R.C. Lee had said in an interview with the Asian Wall Street Journal that the Chinese leadership had not yet decided on the future of HK; the posting of Mr. Ke Hua to HK was a positive move by China to resolve the issue; and the confidence expressed by the executive director of the HK General Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Jimmy McGregor, that Britain's role would continue here.
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