RESTRICTED
19359
OF THE TALKS IN PEKING. IT SAW THE ARTICLE AS THE FIERCEST ATTACK
ON BRITAIN SINCE 1967.
1
4. WEN WEI PO (COMMUNIST) REITERATED ITS NOW-STANDARD ACCUSATION
THAT THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT WAS TRYING TO USE BOTH PUBLIC
OPINION AND ECONOMIC CARDS''. IT CLAIMED THAT THE FINANCIAL
SECRETARY'S MID-YEAR REVIEW SOUGHT TO ARGUE THAT HONG KONG'S
ECONOMY COULD NOT SURVIVE WITHOUT BRITISH ADMINISTRATION. SUCH
REMARKS SAID WEN WEI PO SHOWED THAT NEITHER THE HONG KONG NOR THE
BRITISH GOVERNMENT HAD ANY INTENTION OF MAINTAINING HONG KONG'S
STABILITY AND PROSPERITY. FOR THE SAKE OF THEIR COLONIAL INTERSTS
THEY WERE PREPARED TO SACRIFICE THE INTERESTS OF 5 MILLION HONG
KONG PEOPLE.
5. THE NEW EVENING POST (COMMUNIST) SAID THAT THE PROPER SUBJECT
OF THE TALKS IN PEKING WAS THE MAINTENANCE OF HONG KONG'S STABILITY
AND PROSPERITY. SINCE PROSPERITY DID NOT DEPEND ON BRITISH RULE,
THE BRITISH SIDE SHOULD NOT BE RAISING IN THE TALKS ISSUES SUCH
AS AN EXTENSION OF THE LEASE, TRUSTEESHIP OR ''CHINESE
SOVEREIGNTY AND BRITISH ADMINISTRATION''.
HADDON CAVE
Howe
2
RESTRICTED
1