GPS 350
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MKK040/2
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B43)
DESKBY 2209OOZ
FM HONG KONG 22083OZ DEC 83
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELEGRAM NUMBER 2014 OF 22 DECEMBER 1983
DESK 0:
MDEX
AFB 5/1.13/1
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING AND ROUTINE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON, HONG KONG GOVERNMENT REPS. WASHINGTON, NEW YORK, BRUSSELS AND GENEVA
FUTURE OF HONG KONG: PRESS COVERAGE
YESTERDAY'S HONG KONG DAILY NEWS (INDEPENDENT) ARGUED THAT
FOREIGN INTERESTS IN HONG KONG SHOULD BE PROTECTED UNDER
INTERNATIONAL LAW FROM POLITICAL TURMOIL IN CHINA. IT CALLED
FOR A MINI-CONSTITUTION FOR HONG KONG TO ACT AS A QUOTE
CHECK AND BALANCE UNQUOTE ON THE MAIN CHINESE CONSTITUTION.
TODAY'S MINOR LEFT-WING CENTRE DAILY NEWS DESCRIBED THESE
PROPOSALS AS UNACCEPTABLE. AS THE MINI-CONSTITUTION WOULD
BE PART OF THE MAIN CONSTITUTION IT COULD NOT CHECK OR BALANCE IT. THE COMMENTATOR SAID THAT FOREIGN INTERESTS IN HONG KONG WOULD BE GIVEN THE SAME PROTECTION UNDER THE CON- STITUTION AS LOCAL INTERESTS AND CONCLUDED WITH THE ASSURANCE THAT THERE WOULD BE NO REPETITION OF QUOTE SUCH FOOL ISH ACTS UNQUOTE AS BURNING THE BRITISH OFFICE OF THE CHARGE
D'AFFAIRS IN PEKING DURING THE CULTURAL REVOLUTION.
2. WEN WEI PO (COMMUNIST) CARRIED A SECOND LENGTHY ARTICLE
BY GU NIANLI ANG OF THE HONG KONG-MACAU RESEARCH CENTRE
(MY TELNO 1999). TODAY'S ARTICLE CRITICISED THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT FOR PURSUING A QUOTE HIGH LAND PRICE POLICY, UNQUOTE WHICH ENCOURAGED SPECULATION AND CAUSED DIFFICULTIES FOR THE MANUFACTURING SECTOR THROUGH HIGH RENTS, HIGH
INTEREST RATES AND A SHORTAGE OF FUNDS FOR RE-INVESTMENT.
GU CALLED ON PEOPLE TO WORK TOGETHER IN MAPPING OUT THE TRANSITIONAL ARRANGEMENTS TO 1997. AFTER THAT DATE CHINA
WOULD LEND ITS SUPPORT TO REMOVING HONG KONG'S RELIANCE ON EXTERNAL FACTORS AND THE DEFECTS OF ITS ECONOMY.
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