351
TOP COPY
GR 400
RESTRICTED
RESTRICTED
FM HONG KONG 061005Z OCT 83
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELEGRAM NUMBER 1487 OF 6 OCTOBER
Hkkogo12
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY'
~ 7 OCT 1983
DESK OFFICER
INDEX
HECHSTRY
Action Taken
1CM2$/10
INFO EMMED HATE PEKING ROUTINE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON
(FOR HONG KONG GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATHWES) WASHINGTON NEW YORK GENEVA BRUSSELS
FUTURE OF HONG KONG: PRESS COVERAGE
1. ALL SECTIONS OF THE PRESS GAVE EXTENSIVE AND WIDESPREAD COVERAGE TO THE GOVERNOR'S LEGCO ADDRESS YESTERDAY. THUS WAS GENERALLY FAVOURABLY RECEIVED, WITH MOST PAPERS NOTHING THAT THE SEARCH FOR A SETTLEMENT OF HONG KONG'S FUTURE WAS THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE. THERE WAS SOME CRITICISM, NOTABLY IN THE COMMUNIST PRESS, THAT THE SPEECH FAILED TO ELABORATE MEASURES TO BOLSTER THE HONG KONG DOLLAR (SEE PARA 3 BELOW).
2. AMONGST THE EDITORIALS IN THE INDEPENDENT PRESS, MING PAO, SING TAO, WAH KU YAT PO AND THE EXPRESS ALL COMMENTED THAT A POSITIVE AND OPTIMISTIC ATTITUDE HAD BEEN TAKEN TWOARDS LONG-TERM DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS. THIS WAS A MARK OF THE GOVERNMENT'S CONFIDENCE AND SHOULD HELP TO SET THE PUBLIC'S HEART AT EASE. FINANCIAL DAILY SAID THAT PENDING AN AGREEMENT IN THE SANO/BRITISH TALKS IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR LOCAL RESIDENTS TO KEEP THEIR NERVE. WHILST GENERALLY WELCOMING THE ADDRESS, THE ECONOMIC JOURNAL SAID THAT
THE PUBLIC HAD HOPED FOR RATHER MORE QUOTE DIRECTION UNQUOTE.
3. TA KUNG PAO AND WEN PO (COMMUNIST) EMPHASISED IN THEIR HEADLINES THAT THE GOVERNOR HAD NOT ANNOUNCED MEASURES TO SHORE UP THE HONG KONG DOLLAR. WEN WE: PO SAFED THAT ALTHOUGH AN EXPORT-LED RECOVERY WAS UNDERWAY, THE WEAK DOLLAR WOULD FORCE UP THE RATE OF INFLATION. NUTS EDITORIAL, TA KUNG PAO SAID THAT MEASURES SHOULD BE ANNOUNCED SOON TO CURB QUOTE SPECULATION UNQUOTE AND ADDED THAT THE GOVERNMENT APPARENTLY LACKED THE DETERMINATION TO INTRODUCE SUCH MEASURES. NOTHING THE PRIORITY GIVEN TO THE SEARCH FOR A SETTLEMENT ON HONG KONG'S FUTURE, THE EDITORIAL MAINTAINED THAT THE BIGGEST STUMBLING BLOCK WAS BRITAIN'S QUOTE HARDENED ATTITUDE UNQUOTE.
RESTRICTED
14.