230
GRS 300
UNCLASSIFIED
FROM BANGKOK 27040OZ SEP 83
TO PRIORITY FCO LONDON
TEL NO 427 OF 27 SEP
INFO GOVERNOR HONG KONG
MKKOA0/2
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
46 SEP 1983
DESK OFFICER
HONG KONG TALKS: THAN PRESS REACTOWNDEX
PA
TOP COPY
REGISTRY
Action Taken
CHba19
1. THAN PRESS HAS FREELY REPLAYED RECENT REPORTS FROM HONG KONG AND PEKING. TYPICAL HEADLINES HAVE BEEN QUOTE HONG KONG DOLLAR KEEPS SPINNING DOWNWARD UNQUOTE: QUOTE CHINA ACCUSES UK OF COLONIALIST ATTITUDE UNQUOTE.
2. FOLLOWING ARE EXTRACTS FROM EDITORIAL IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE BANGKOK POST OF 26 SEPTEMBER: QUOTE IT IS ALMOST CERTAIN THAT BRITAIN IS MAKING POLITICAL MILEAGE OUT OF THE AILING HONG KONG DOLLAR. FROM THE BRITISH POINT OF VIEW IT IS SEEN AS EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT THE ARGUMENT THAT THE COLONY'S PROSPERITY COULD NOT BE MAINTAINED WITHOUT SOME FORM OF BRITISH ADMINISTRATION. UNQUOTE. THE CHINESE HAVE BEEN DISPLAYING INCREASING IRRITATION AT THE INFERENCE THAT HONG KONG WOULD NOT SURVIVE ECONOMICALLY IF THE BRITISH INFLUENCE WAS WITHDRAWN. AT THE WEEKEND THE OFFICIAL NEW CHINA NEWS AGENCY BLASTED BRITAIN FOR WHAT IT CALLED ITS RIGID ATTITUDE'' DURING THE TALKS. IT SAIL THE BRITISH ROLE IN HONG KONG HAD NOT BEEN THE DECISIVE FACTOR IN THE TERRITORY'S PROSPERITY. THE BRITISH ARE BEGINNING TO REALISE THEIR OPTIONS ARE QUITE LIMITED. THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT DURING THEIR TALKS THIS WEEKEND HONG KONG GOVERNOR SIR EDWARD YOUDE, BRITAIN'S AMBASSADOR TO PEKING SHIR PERCY CRADOCK AND VISITING MINISTER OF STATE RICHARD LUCE HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY REAPPRAISING THE BRITISH STANCE. MEANWHILE ALL THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG CAN LOOK FORWARD TO IN THE SHORT TERM S A SPATE OF INCREASED PRICES IN THE SHOPS WITH A CURRENCY WHICH HAS FALLEN AN INCREDIBLE 58 PER CENT IN VALUE SINCE BRITISH PRIME MINISTER MARGARET THATCHER'S VISIT TO PEKING ONE YEAR AGO. BUT T IS THE LONG-TERM FUTURE THAT CONCERNS HONG KONG'S CITIZENS MORE, AND AT THE MOMENT THAT LOOKS DECIDEDLY UNCERTAIN UNQUOTE.
(REPEATED AS REQUESTED)
STAPLES
FUTURE OF HONG KONG
COPLES TO
LIMITED
SIR IAN SINCLAIR LEGAL ADVISER
MR BURROWS
EID/HKD
ED/FED
MR ROBERTS
LEGAL ADVISER
NEWS D
HD/PLANNING STAFF
HD/PUSD
PS
PS/LADY YOUNG
PS/MR LUCE
PS/PUS
SIR J BULLARD
MR GIFFARD
MR DONALD MR WRIGHT
SIR A PARSONS
MR WALKER
ASSESSMENTS STAFF
CABINET OFFICE
PUSD
NO 10 DOWNING STREET
NO 10 DOWNING STREET RESEARCH D OAB 2/82
MR MARTIN
MR FLOWER
MR COLES