GPS 500
RESTRICTED
Hi Kood
RESTRICTEDRECEIVED IN KAMBAR
322)
DESKBY 30080OZ
FM HONG KONG 30O5OOZ NOV 83
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
NOV 1983
DANK OF FILAM
INDEX
HF3
Yız
TELEGRAM NUMBER 1846 OF 30 NOVEMBER 1983
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING AND ROUTINE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON, HONG KONG GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVES WASHINGTON, NEW YORK, GENEVA AND BRUSSELS
FUTURE OF HONG KONG: PRESS COVERAGE
1. FUTURE RELATED STORIES DID NOT (NOT) FEATURE AT ALL PROMINENTLY IN THE PRESS ON 30 NOVEMBER. THE MINOR STORIES OF INTEREST WERE
AS FOLLOWS:
A) CONFIRMATION THAT A DELEGATION FROM THE LOCAL PRESSURE GROUP, THE HONG KONG OBSERVERS, WILL PAY A ONE WEEK VISIT TO PEKING AT THE INVITATION OF NCNA FROM 5 DECEMBER. MOST PAPERS REPORTED THAT THEY WOULD PRESENT A MEMORANDUM, THE CONTENTS OF WHICH WOULD BE MADE PUBLIC ON THEIR RETURN.
B) MR. LUCE'S ANSWER TO A PQ FROM MR. ROBERT PARRY IN THE HOUSE ON 21 NOVEMBER (ROUTINELY REPORTED IN THE INDEPENDENT PRESS).
C) THE SETTING UP IN TAIWAN OF A SPECIAL COMMITTEE TO EXAMINE THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG, REPORTED IN THE FINANCIAL DAILY (INDEPENDENT). A MEMBER OF THE EXECUTIVE YUAN WAS REPORTED AS
REPEATING THE TAIWAN POSITION THAT ANY AGREEMENT BETWEEN BRITAIN
AND THE PRC ON HONG KONG'S FUTURE WOULD BE VOID, NOT LEAST. BECAUSE THE ORIGINAL COPIES OF THE THREE TREATIES WERE IN THE CUSTODY
OF THE TAIWAN GOVERNMENT.
2. A NUMBER OF NEWSPAPERS ALSO PICKED UP AN AFP ACCOUNT OF AN ARTICLE IN THE LASTEST EDITION OF THE LEFT-WING MONTHLY MAGAZINE QUOTE ZHEN MING UNQUOTE. THE ARTICLE CLAIMED THAT A SECRET
INTERNAL CHINESE REFERENCE DOCUMENT INDICATED THAT FORMER CHINESE
PREMIER HUA GUOFENG HAD TRIED TO COMMIT SUICIDE WHEN DENG XIAOPING HAD FORCED HIM TO UNDERTAKE A SELF CRITICISM. THE SAME ISSUE OF ZHENG MING CARRIED AN ARTICLE PURPORTING TO QUOTE THE
VIEWS OF MIDDLE RANKING OFFICIALS WITHIN CHINA ON HONG KONG. THE
MAIN POINTS ATTRIBUTED TO THE CADRES WERE AS FOLLOWS:
A) THE HONG KONG DOLLAR CRISIS HAD BEEN A TRICK BY THE BRITISH
AND HONG KONG GOVERNMENTS TO FORCE CHINA TO MAKE CONCESSIONS.
B) CHINA WOULD NOT BUDGE EVEN IF HONG KONG CONTINUED TO DECLINE.
NATIONALISM WAS MUCH MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE INTERESTS OF A
FEW MILLION PEOPLE.
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