310
GRS 200
RESTRICTED
RESTRICTED
FM HONG KONG 17035OZ SEP 83
TO IMMEDIATE F C O
TELEGRAM NUMBER 1373 OF 17 SEPTEMBER
NFO 4MMED HATE PEKING
TOP COPY
+KK040|2
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
1 SEP 1983
ROUTINE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON NAG HK GOVT RDESK OFFICER WASHINGTON, NEW YORK, GENEVA AND BRUSSELS.
INDEX
FUTURE OF HONG KONG: PRESS COVERAGE.
PA
REGISTRY
Action Taken
Cribola
ALL PAPERS TODAY REPORTED THAT THE NONA (HONG KONG) DESPATCH
OF 16 SEPTEMBER (MY TELNO 1371) WAS PUBLISHED IN MAINLAND
CHINESE NEWSPAPERS, INCLUDING THE PEOPLE'S DAILY.
2. THE INTERVIEW GIVEN BY ASSISTANT FOREIGN MINISTER ZHOU NAN
TO THE FINANCIAL TIMES PUBLISHED IN THE FTM 16 SEPTEMBER WAS ALSO
GIVEN PROMINENT COVERAGE IN MOST NEWSPAPERS (INCLUDING THE
COMMUNIST TA KUNG PAO AND WEN WEil PAO).
THE COMMUNIST PRESS QUOTED ZHOU AS SAYING THAT PROVIDED THE BRITISH SIDE ADOPTS A REALISTIC, REASONABLE AND CO-OPERATIVE ATTITUDE THERE IS NO REASON TO BELIEVE THAT UNSATISFACTORY
RESULTS WILL COME OUT OF THESE NEGOTIATIONS''. XHOU DISMISSED
ANY SUGGESTION THAT CHINA AND BRITAIN COULD JOINTLY ADMINISTER
HONG KONG. THIS IS TOTALLY LACKING BOTH IN JURISPRUDENCE AND
REALITY. SOVEREIGNTY AND ADMINISTRATION ARE INSEPARABLE''.
See (214)
3. MOST PAPERS GAVE EXTENSIVE COVERAGE OF THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY'S MID-YEAR REVIEW DELIVERED YESTERDAY EVENING. TWO MAJOR THEMES PROVIDED THE FOCUS OF PRESS REPORTS: THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY'S VIEW THAT UNCERTAINTY OVER THE FUTURE HAD AFFECTED THE EXCHANGE RATE OF THE HONG KONG DOLLAR, AND HIS DECISION NOT TO ABOLISH THE WITHHOLDING TAX ON HONG KONG DOLLAR DEPOSITS.
YOUDE
259
FUTURE OF HONG KONG
COPIES TO
LIMITED
MR BURROWS
SIR IAN SINCLAIR LEGAL ADVISER LEGAL ADVISER
HD/HKD
HD/FED
MR ROBERTS
NEWS D
HD/PLANNING STAFF
MR MARTIN
HD/PUSD
PS
PS/LADY YOUNG
MR FLOWER
PS/MR LUCE
MR COLES
PS/PUS
SIR J BULLARD
MR GIFFARD
MR DONALD MR WRIGHT
SIR A PARSONS
ASSESSMENTS STAFF
CABINET OFFICE
PUSD
NO 10 DOWNING STREET
NO 10 DOWNING STREET
GOGGS
MR WALKER RESEARCH D
RESTRICTED