GR 600
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DESKBY 10080OZ
FM HONG KONG 100745Z NOV 83
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
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TELEGRAM NUMBER 1705 OF 10 NOVEMBER
TOP COPY MKKOLO12
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
TO NOV 1983
DESK OFFICEA
PA
AFB CH10!!!
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON, PEKING INFO ROUTINE HK GOVT REPS WASHINGTON, CG NEW YORK, UKMIS GENEVA,
BRUSSELS
FUTURE OF HONG KONG: PRESS COVERAGE.
1. ALL PAPERS GIVE VERY PROMINENT AND EXTENSIVE COVERAGE TO THE ANNOUNCE THAT THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT WILL TAKE PART IN THE GUANGDONG NUCLEAR PROJECT. FULL ACCOUNTS ARE CARRIED OF THE STATEMENT MADE BY THE SECRETARY FOR ECONOMIC SERVICES IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL AS WELL AS OF HIS SUBSEQUENT PRESS CONFERENCE. THE LEFT-WING PRESS HAVE GONE OUT OF THEIR WAY TO WELCOME THE DECISION. IN A COMMENTARY, THE TA KUNG PAO (COMMUNIST) DESCRIBED THE JOINT VENTURE AS A NEW LANDMARK IN CO-OPERATION BETWEEN HỌNG KONG AND GUANGDONG, AND ONE WHICH WOULD GREATLY HELP PROMOTE HONG KONG'S STABWVLITY AND PROSPERITY. THE WEN WE PO PUBLISHED AN INTERVIEW WITH PENG SHILU, DEPUTY MINISTER OF WATER CONSERVANCY AND ELECTRIC POWER WHO WELCOMED THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT'S DECISION AND WHO EXPRESSED THE HOPE THAT THE JOINT VENTURE COMPANY MIGHT BE ESTABLISHED AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. THE PRO-CHINA TIN TIN DAILY NEWS SAND THAT THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT'S SUPPORT FOR THE PROJECT COULD BE REGARDED AS A FRIENDLY GESTURE BY BRITAIN AND HONG KONG TOWARDS CHINA. THIS WOULD INCREASE THE CONFIDENCE WHICH HONG KONG PEOPLE HAD IN THEIR FUTURE AND SHOWED THAT NO MATTER HOW GREAT THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN BRITAIN AND CHINA ON THE HONG KONG ISSUE, GOOD FRIENDLY RELATIONS EXISTED.
2. COMMENT IN THE INDEPENDENT PRESS WAS UNANIMOUSLY IN FAVOUR. EDITORIAL COMMENT, AND THE VIEWS OF THE USUAL RANGE OF PUNDITS, WERE ALL AGREED THAT THE DECISION MADE GOOD SENSE ECONOMICALLY AND POLITICALLY. THE ONLY ADVERSE REACTION CAME FROM A SPOKESMAN FOR THE JOINT ORGANISATION FOR CONCERN ON NUCLEAR ENERGY, WHO ACCUSED THE GOVERNMENT OF HAVING MADE A RASH DECISION AND DEMANDED
MORE INFORMATION ON THE SAFETY ASPECTS.
3. THE NEWS THAT MR RICHARD EVANS, AMBASSADOR DESIGNATE TO PEKING, IS TO VISHT HONG KONG NEXT WEEK WAS ALSO EXTENSIVELY AND PROMINENTLY REPORTED IN ALL SECTIONS OF THE PRESS. THE HONG KONG ECONOMIC JOURNAL (INDEPENDENT) IN ITS EDITORIAL SAID THAT BRITAIN HAD NOW FORMED A VERY STRONG TRIANGLE WITH SIR E. YOUDE IN HONG KONG, MR EVANS IN PEKING, AND SUR P. CRADOCK IN LONDON. THIS SHOWED THE IMPORTANCE WHICH BRITAIN ATTACHED TO THE HONG KONG ISSUE. THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE HONG KONG STANDARD IN ITS EDITORIAL SAID THAT THE
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