167
GR 1000
UNCLASSIFIED
FM HONG KONG 200748Z JUL 83
TO ROUTINE FCO
TELEGRAM NUMBER 1036 OF 20
HKK040|2
2 1 JUL 1983
TOP COPY
4 CHlll8
INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON, PEKING, WASHINGTON
(FOR HK GOVT REP), CG NEW YORK (FOR HK GOVT REP), BRUSSELS (FOR HK GOVT REP), UKMIS GENEVA (FOR HK GOVT REP).
FUTURE OF HONG KONG: PRESS REPORTS
-MIPT
1. FOLLOWING IS FULL TRANSLATION OF EDITORIAL IN MING PAO DAILY
NEWS ON 18 JULY.
?BEGINS.
IS IT FEASIBLE FOR HONG KONG TO BE ADMINISTERED BY HONG KONG PEOPLE.
A 'YOUTH DELEGATION'' LED BY LI PENG-FE! AND OTHERS HAS PRESENTED
TO VICE-CHAIRMAN OF THE NATIONAL PEOPLE'S CONGRESS XI ZHONGXUN A
LETTER OF OPINIONS STRESSING AMONG OTHER THINGS THAT ALLOWING
HONG KONG TO BE ADMINISTERED BY HONG KONG PEOPLE IS NOT FEASIBLE. THE
STUDENTS' UNION OF THE CHINESE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG THEN ISSUED
A LETTER OF OPINIONS, TOO, SAYING THAT THE IDEA OF HAVING HONG KONG
ADMINISTERED BY HONG KONG PEOPLE IS FEASIBLE. SOME TIME LATER, NEWLY
APPOINTED DELEGATE TO THE PEOPLE'S POLITICAL CONSULTATIVE
CONFERENCE MR T.K. ANN, SPEAKING AT THE PPCC'D CLOSING CEREMONY
IN BEIJING, SAID HONG KONG SHOULD BE ADMINISTERED UNDER HONG KONG
LAWS, IN ADDITION TO BEING ADMINISTERED BY HONG KONG PEOPLE. ONE
RECALLS THAT AFTER THE IDEA OF HAVING HONG KONG ADMINISTERED BY
HONG KONG PEOPLE HAD BEEN GREETED WITH LUKEWARM RECEPTION IN HONG
KONG, CHINESE COMMUNIST LEADERS HAVE MORE THAN ONCE MENTIONED
PRIVATELY THE IDEA OF HAVING HONG KONG ADMINISTERED UNDER THE LAWS
OF HONG KONG. IT WAS NEVERTHELESS THE FIRST TIME THAT THE IDEA
WAS SPELT OUT ON AN OFFICIAL OCCASION THROUGH MR ANN.
BEFORE DECIDING ON WHETHER THE IDEA OF HAVING HONG KONG ADMINISTERED
BY HONG KONG PEOPLE IS FEASIBLE, IT IS NECESSARY TO ASCERTAIN THE
EXTENT OF ITS APPLICATION. IT MEANS WHETHER IT WILL 'SERVE TO MAINTAIN THE STABILITY AND PROSPERITY IN HONG KONG. IT SHOULD
FURTHER BE ASCERTAINED WHETHER THE STABILITY AND PROSPERITY REFERRED
TO ARE THOSE NOW PREVAILING IN HONG KONG, THAT IS TO SAY, CAPITALIST STABILITY AND PROSPERITY, INSTEAD OF SOCIALIST STABILITY AND
PROSPERITY OF THE SHANGHAI-TYPE.
WE HAVE NOT YET EXPRESSED OPINION ON THIS VITAL QUESTION AS IT IS NOT THAT SIMPLE AS TO INVOLVE FEASIBILITY OR UNFEASIBILITY ALONE.
IT DEPENDS ON MANY OTHER ANCILLARY CONDITIONS. IF ALL THESE
CONDITIONS CAN BE FULFILLED, TO HAVE HONG KONG ADMINISTERED BY HONG KONG PEOPLE IS FEASIBLE. AND IT WILL BE EVEN MORE FEASIBLE
IF HONG KONG IS ADMINISTERED UNDER THE LAWS OF HONG KONG. IN
DEFAULT OF FULFILLING THE ANCILLARY CONDITIONS, OR WITH
SUPERFICIAL INSTEAD OF FULL AND SUBSTANTIVE FULFILMENT, THE IDEA OF HAVING HONG KONG ADMINISTERED BY HONG KONG PEOPLE UNDER THE LAWS OF HONG KONG WILL NOT BE FEASIBLE.
117
168