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TELEGRAM NUMBER 1334 OF 13 SEPTEMBER
HINFO HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON, PEKING,
TOP COPY
HONG KONG GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVES WASHINGTON, NEW YORK, GENEVA AND BRUSSELS.
FUTURE OF HONG KONG : PRESS COVERAGE
سعيد
MKK040/2
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
13 SEP 1983
DESK OFFICEA
INDEX
1. THE MAJOR INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPERS MING PAO AND SING PAO
HAVE PUBLISHED SEVERAL EDITORIALS ON THE FREEDOM OF THE PRESS
AND GOVERNMENT'S RESPONSIVENESS TO PUBLIC OPINION (AT THE
OPENING OF SHING PAO'S NEW HQ ON 7 SEPTEMBER, THE ACTING GOVERNOR
HAD SPOKEN ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF THESE FEATURES OF HONG KONG
LIFE).
2. BOTH MING PAO AND SLNG PAO SAW FREEDOM OF THE PRESS AS A POWERFUL INSTRUMENT TO SAFEGUARD ALL OTHER SOCIAL FREEDOMS.
SING PAO COMMENTED THAT THE DIVERSITY OF POLITICAL TENOR IN
HONG KONG'S PRESS WAS EVIDENCE OF A FREE SOCIETY. A FREE PRESS
SERVED AS A CHANNEL FOR PEOPLE TO SEEK REDRESS. IN TS TWO EDITORIALS ON THE SUBJECT, MING PAO ACKNOWLEDGED THAT **FULL
DEMOCRACY' WAS NOT PRACTISED IN HONG KONG, BUT GOVERNMENT
OFFICIALS WERE SUBJECT TO SUPERVISION UNDER BRITISH PARLIAMENTARY
DEMOCRACY AND RESPONSIVE TO PUBLIC OPINION. THE LOCAL MEDIA
COULD EXERCISE HTS RIGHT TO CRITICISE GOVERNMENT WITHOUT FEAR
OF REPRISAL. INDEED, ARGUED MANG PAO, HONG KONG ENJOYED A FREER
PRESS EVEN THAT BRITAIN, THE UNITED STATES, GERMANY OR JAPAN.
3. THE FINANCIAL DAHLY (INDEPENDENT) COMMENTED IN A SHMILAR VEIN
THAT ''TRUE FREEDOMS BRED TRUE PROSPERUTY''.
THE SUCCESS OF HONG KONG BORE TESTIMONY TO THE RELATIONSHIP
BETWEEN THESE FREEDOMS.
YOUDE
FUTURE OF HONG KONG
REGISTRY
PA
Action Taken
が
ICM2G19
THIS TELEGRAM WAS NOT ADVANCED
COPIES TO:
PS
ELANNING STAFF PUSD
PS/LADY YOUNG
- PSAR. LUCE
PS/PUS
SIR JBUNLARD
MR GHET ARD
MR. DONALD ME WEIGH
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STR I SINCLAIR LEGAL ADVISER
MR. BURROWS
MR. MARTIN
MR: FLOWER
MT COMES
LEGAL ADVISERS
ASSESSMENTS STAFF CABINET OFFICE
PUSD
NO 10 DOWNING ST
SIR A PARSONS
MR. WALKER.
19.
RESEARCHE DEPT.
MR ROBERTS NEWS D
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Page 195Page 196
•Done. This is in line with The AFP report which
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