13.
OTHER ITEMS:
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Exco meetings on 1997: Major independent papers reported that Exco met every
Wednesday to discuss the 1997 issue, apart from its regular weekly meeting every Tuesday. This reflected the importance Exco attached to the issue of HK's future.
Statement of Student Leader: Wen Wei Po prominently reported a statement by
the new chairman of the HK Federation of Student Unions, Mr. Leung Fat-choy, who said post-secondary students here were patriotic to China. Students in China and HK should have closer contacts as a result of China's open policy. He repeated that HK was part of China and must eventually be reunified with the motherland.
Polls on HK's future: A HK Times columnist listed the results of several public
opinion polls to show that the majority of local residents wanted to maintain the status quo. Maintenance of the status quo was desired by 70 pc of 998 respondents in the Reform Club survey in March, 1982; 85 pc of respondents in a poll conducted by HKU Students' Union in June, 1982; the majority of respondents to a questionnaire of the Mass Communications Department of the Baptist College in July, 1982; and 95 pc of 1 000 respondents in a survey by the HK Observers in August.
Taiwan's line: Taiwan's Foreign Minister reiterated that Taiwan would not recognise any agreement reached between Britain and China on HK's future. It respected and supported the wishes of the 5.5 million population of HK to pursue freedom.
Successor to Mr. Ke Hua: A Reuters despatch said the Chinese Embassy in London
confirmed that Mr. Chen Zhaoyuan, sector director in the Asia Affairs Department, would succeed Mr. Ke Hua as China's Ambassador to Britain. Mr. Chen, aged 62, had been ambassador to Burma, Spain and India.
Taiwan woos Hong Kong investors: The Hong Kong Times, in a Central News.
Agency despatch, said the Taiwan Government would further amend the legislation on incentives for investment in a bid to attract more funds from overseas Chinese. Taiwan's Economic
Ministry would offer special services for Hong Kong people who intended to buy property in Taiwan for permanent settlement.
Special Economic Zone: The Shenzhen Special Economic Zone Development Co.
and Hopewell China Development Ltd. signed a contract to jointly develop the border railway station at Shenzhen at a cost of more than $300 million. The Mayor of Shenzhen, Mr. Liang Xiang, said the project would help improve traffic between Hong Kong and Shenzhen and would promote development of the SEZ.
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