GRS 250
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
FROM PEKING 270815Z SEP 83
TO PRIORITY FCO
TOP MKK04012 OP.
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
SEP 1983
237)
TELEGRAM NUMBER 949 OF 27TH SEPT
INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG
FUTURE OF HONG KONG: CHINESE PRESS COVERAGE
DESK OFFICER
INDEX
REGISTRY
PA
Action Taken
1. SEVERAL PROMINENT NEWSPAPER ARTICLES ON HONG KONG AND THE
QUESTION OF THE FUTURE HAVE APPEARED TO MARK THE LATEST ROUND
OF TALKS. PEOPLE'S DAILY HAS LED THE ATTACK, BUT CONSIDERABLE
COVERAGE HAS ALSO BEEN GIVEN IN TIE ENGLISH LANGUAGE CHINA DAILY
AND IN NCNA'S ENGLISH LANGUAGE BULLETINS.
2. THE MAIN THEMES HAVE BEEN: THE LEGALITY OF CHINA RECOVERING
HONG KONG (THE PRINCIPAL ARTICLE ON THIS THEME, WHICH HAS BEEN SUBSEQUENTLY ECHOED BY SHORTER COMMENTARIES, WAS THE ONE REPORTED IN OUR TLENO 913): THE CONFIDENCE OF FOREIGN INVESTORS
IN HONG KONG'S FUTURE (THE IMPLICATION BEING THAT OTHERS HAVE
FAITH IN CHINA'S PLANS BUT THE BRITISH OBSTINATELY REJECT THEM):
THE RIGID BRISIH ATTITUDE WHICH PRECLUDES PROGRESS IN THE
TALKS, AND BRITISH WILFULNESS IN PLAYING ''PUBLIC OPINION AND ''ECONOMIC CARDS: CHINA'S CONSISTENTLY STAUNCH ECONOMIC SUPPORT
FOR HONG KONG WHICH IS CHARACTERISED AS A MAJOR FACTOR
CONTRIBUTING TO THE TERRITORY'S PROSPERITY: AND THE IMPROPRIETY
OF REMARKS ABOUT AN INDEPENDENT HONG KONG MADE BY THE PRIME
MINISTER ON 23 SEPTEMBER. AS IS CLEAR FROM HONG KONG'S
1
REGULAR PRESS COVERAGE TELEGRAMS, ALL THESE ARTICLES HAVE BEEN CARRIED IN THE LEFT-WING PRESS THERE.
CLARK
Croatal
(REPEATED AS REQUESTED)
Sue (259)
FUTURE OF HONG KONG
COPIES TO
LIMITED
SIR IAN SINCLAIR LEGAL ADVISER
MR BURROWS
HD/HKD
HD/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 SHAFF
CABINET OFFICE
PUSD
NO 10 DOWNING STRINET
NO 10 DOWNING STREET RESEARCH D OAB 2/82
MR MARTIN
MR FLOWER
MR COLES
CONFIDENTIAL