GRS 300
RESTRICTED
RESTRICTED
TOP COPY
250
FROM PEKING 11230OZ OCT 83
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELEGRAM NUMBER 1000 OF 11/10/83
REPEATED FOR INFO TO PRIORITY HONG KONG
HKK040/2
RECEIVED IN WEST
1400 1933
FUTURE OF HONG KONG
PEOPLE'S DAILY COMMENTARY
CM24/10
1. THE ONSLAUGHT IN THE CHINESE PRESS CONTINUES. THE PEOPLE'S
DAILY OF 10 OCTOBER CARRIES A LONG ARTICLE ON THE
THREE TREATIES. IT TRACES IN EMOTIVE LANGUAGE CHINA'S VIEW
OF THE THE HISTORY OF BRITISH OCCUPATION OF HONG KONG FROM 1834
TO 1939.
2. THE ARTICLE DIVIDES BRITISH OCCUPATION OF HONG KONG
-INTO TWO STAGES: THE OCCUPATION OF HONG KONG ISLAND AND SOUTH
KOWLOON AND THE ACQUISITION OF THE NEW TERRITORIES.
THE ARTICLE COMMENTS THAT HAVING COERCED THE QING GOVERNMENT INTO SÍGING THE NEW TERRITORIES' LEASE, THE BRITISH, WITH A VIEW TO ANNEXING PERMANENTLY THE NEW TERRITORIES, HAD SOUGHT TO IGNORE, PROVISIONS OF THE LEASE AGREEMENT AND ATTEMPTED TO EXERCISE CONTROL AS THOUGH THE NEW TERRITORIES WERE A PART OF BRITISH TERRITORY. SUCH ATTEMPTS WOULD NEVER NEET WITH SUCCESS.
3. THE ARTICLE CONCLUDES WITH THE FAMILIAR ARGUMENT THAT THE TRE- ATIES HAVE NO VALIDITY IN INTERNATIONAL LAW. MOREOVER, THE PERIOD OF IMPERIALIST EXPLOITATION OF CHINA HAS GONE NEVER TO RETURN. SO IT IS SURPRISING THAT CERTAIN PEOPLE IN ''POLITICAL CIRCLES'' IN BRITAIN ARE TRYING TO TURN BACK THE
RESTRICTED
WHEELS