CONFIDENTIAL
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Some
Propaganda strategy: The January issue of Cheng Ming said some left-wing newspapermen took part in a forum to map out propaganda strategy in regaining sovereignty over HK while they were attending the NPC and the CPPCC in Beijing last month. NPC and CPPCC delegates suggested that publicity should be given to how HK was ceded to Britain under duress, while others suggested that publications should be produced promptly on the Optium War and the three treaties governing HK. Quoting his friends in Beijing, a correspondent of the magazine (by-line Sheung Chuen) said China would not be interested in taking such a propaganda offensive. One of his friends said China might have won the first round in the diplomatic talks and the scaling down of the campaign might indicate that Britain would no longer adhere to the three treaties governing HK, or that the sovereignty question had been resolved in the diplomatic talks. His friend said Beijing was unhappy with the exaggerated and speculative statements made by one or two HK residents on their return from Beijing. He said some Chinese officials in the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office also noticed
a blunder made by a HK businessman (Mr. Wang Kuan-cheng, chairman of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce) who referred to the HK Government's three highs policy as high land prices, high rents and high taxation. One official said cynically that if the HK Government was providing high welfare benefits, it would be a blessing for compatriots in HK and China's socialist system would never stand out. The correspondent said the thinking of Chinese leaders on the HK issue was "a small loss in return for a big advantage" which meant that the recovery of HK might make China suffer a little, but eventually it would gain a lot politically and economically.
Dai Zhen's case:
Commenting on Dai Zhen's case, Cheng Ming said Dai was paid $250 a month for his contribution to the magazine and an equal amount for writing for its sister magazine Dong Xiang. His articles were mainly commentary or reporting on current affairs and Dai had never supplied classified information to the two magazines. It accused the Chinese authorities of violating Articles 35 and 40 of the Constitution which dealt with freedom of speech and privacy of correspondence. In another article, writer Lo Bing said his friend in Beijing told him that a Politburo member had said the editor of New Evening Post, Lo Fu, was still being detained for spying for the CIA. He would be tried and convicted and then given parole to work in an art or history institute in China.
12.
SCMP LEADER:
Friday's leader in the SCMP said the word 'freedom' had surfaced again only because times had changed with China wishing to assume sovereignty after 1997. The one reason why the Government placed such emphasis on the ideal of positive non-interventionism was that it realised how necessary it was for HK people to be free to make their own decisions. Why would this not continue if China took over? Because, whatever the mainland. might say about retaining capitalism in HK, it would be capitalism seen through communist eyes. It would be difficult for those who espoused the dictatorship of the proletariat to turn themselves inside out and assume the benevolent liberalism of an Adam Smith. That was what HK people feared most in losing their freedom and why such a large proportion supported the status quo. On the other hand, a letter in the same issue, entitled 'Beijing may be only hope against greedy landlords' and signed by 'Belonger', said the Government's
CONFIDENTIAL