190)
GPS 350
RESTRICTED
FM HONG KONG 170855Z AUG 83
TO ROUTINE FCO
RESTRICTED
TELEGRAM NUMBER 1219 OF 17 AUGUST 1983
TOP COPY
ne
C
HKK040/2
INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON, HONG KONGRECEIVED IN REGISTRY GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVES WASHINGTON, NEW YORK, BRUSSELS AND UKMIS GENEVA
CAUU 1983
OFFICER
INDEA
FUTURE OF HONG KONG: PRESS COVERAGE
1. FURTHER PRESS REACTION TO HU YAOBANG'S STATEMENT (MY TELNO 1208)
HAS BEEN RELATIVELY SUBDUED. THE CONSENSUS VHEW IS THAT THE STATEMENT REPRESENTS LITTLE THAT IS NEW IN SUBSTANCE, ALTHOUGH
HU INDICATED THAT CHINA IS PREPARED TO WAIT UNTIL 1997. IN OTHER WORDS, HONG KONG WILL ENJOY BUSINESS AS USUAL FOR A FURTHER 14 YEARS. NEVERTHELESS, AT LEAST ONE NEWSPAPER (SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST) HAS COMMENTED THAT A CONTINUED REPNITATION OF QUOTE THE CHINESE THREAT UNQUOTE CAN LEAD ONLY TO ALARM AND ULTIMATELY
DESPAIR.
2. THE NEW EVENING POST (COMMUNIST) WARNED THAT CHINA WOULD TAKE BACK HONG KONG EVEN EARLIER THAN 1997 IF QUOTE SUBVERSIVE ELEMENTS UNQUOTE TRIED TO ROCK THE BOAT. HU YAOBANG'S REMAKRS HAD MADE CLEAR THAT SOVEREIGNTY AND ADMINISTRATION WERE INSEPARABLE, SO WHEN LOCAL RESIDENTS EXPRESSED THEIR VIEWS ON THE FUTURE THESE SHOULD BE CONFINED TO WAYS OF MAINTAINING THE PROSPERITY OF THE TERRITORY ACCORDING TO THE PRINCIPLE OF QUOTE HONG KONG PEOPLE TO GOVERN HONG KONG UNQUOTE. A COLUMNIST IN THE COMMERC PAL DAILY (COMMUNIST) SAID THAT HU YAOBANG HAD NOT LEAKED ANY INSIDE INFOR- MATION BUT HAD SIMPLY SOUGHT TO BOOST CONFIDENCE IN HONG KONG. THE
COLUMNIST ACCUSED QUOTE SOME ELEMENTS UNQUOTE OF EXPLOITING THE CURRENT RECESS IN THE SINO-BRITISH TALKS TO WHIP UP UNNECESSARY
AND HARMFUL PRESSURE FROM RIGHT-WING ORGANISATIONS.
3. THE INDEPENDENT PRESS PUBLISHED COMMENTS FROM A HONG KONG
GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN THAT QUOTE THE ONLY AUTHENTIC INFORMATION IS THAT WHICH EMERGES OFFICIALLY FROM THE TALKS UNQUOTE. OTHERWISE,
COMMENT WAS CONFINED TO A RENTERATION OF THE IMPRACTICABILITY OF
THE PROPOSITION THAT QUOTE HONG KONG PEOPLE RULE HONG KONG
ACCORDING TO HONG KONG LAWS UNQUOTE.
RESTRICTED
/ 4. HAVING
HEGISTRY
Action Taken
KCM72318
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