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FM HONG KONG 08044OZ NOV 83
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELEGRAM NUMBER 1695 OF 8 NOVEMBER
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. FUTURE-RELATED STORIES DID NOT (NOT) ACHIEVE MUCH PROMINENCE IN THE LOCAL PRESS ON 8 NOVEMBER.
2. A SEMINAR ON HONG KONG ORGANISED IN LOS ANGELES BY PAN AMERICA CHINA RESEARCH ASSOCIATION WAS REPORTED IN THE LEFT WING, INDEPENDENT, AND PRO-TAIWAN PRESS. THE LEFT WING AND PRO-TAIWAN PAPERS REPORTING WAS CLEARLY VERY SELECTIVE. THE LEFT WING PRESS REPORTED REMARKS BY PARTICIPANTS SUGGESTING THAT HONG KONG SHOULD MOVE TOWARDS A MORE DEMOCRATIC SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT. THE PRO-TAIWAN PRESS REPORTED ASSERTIONS BY SOME PARTICIPANTS THAT GUARANTEES GIVEN BY THE LEADERSHIP OF THE PRC COULD NOT BE TRUSTED.
AND
3. THE VISIT OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR ENERGY TO CHINA, HIS IMPENDING ARRIVAL IN HONG KONG, HAVE STIMULATED RENEWED INTEREST N BOTH THE LEFT WING AND INDEPENDENT PRESS IN THE GUANGDONG NUCLEAR PROJECT. THE WEN WE: PO (COMMUNIST) QUOTED DEPUTY MINISTER OF WATER CONSERVATION AND ELECTRIC POWER, PENG SHILU, AS SAYING THAT CHINA PLANNED A NUCLEAR POWER STATION 4N GUANGDONG PARTLY IN ORDER TO SOLVE THE PROVANCE'S SHORTAGE OF ELECTRICITY AND PARTLY TO PROMOTE HONG KONG'S DEVELOPMENT. THE SING TAO JIH PAO CARRIED A REPORT FROM HTS LONDON CORRESPONDENT QUOTING BRITISH GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AS HAVING DENIED A REPORT IN NUCLEAR ENGINEERING INTERNATIONAL WHICH HAD SUGGESTED THAT BRITAIN HAD CEASED DISCUSSIONS WITH CHINA ON THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A JOINT VENTURE TO CONSTRUCT THE GUANGDONG NUCLEAR PLANT. 4. THE SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST REPORTED THAT A LOCAL PRESSURE GROUP, THE LIBERTY AND DEMOCRACY PARTY, WAS TO HOLD A DEBATE WITH MR CHOW HING-CHUEN ON THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG. (THE LOP
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