387
GRS 690
RESTRICTED
FM OTTAWA 0722352 OCT 83
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
RESTRICTED
MKK040/5
389
10 OCT 1983
TELEGRAM NUMBER 529 OF 07 OCTOBER
INFO IMMEDIATE TO WASHINGTON, HONG KONG, PEKINGARS
VISIT BY CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTER
MIPT
}
FOLLOWING IS DEA'S TRANSCRIPT OF QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ON HONG KONG IN CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTER'S PRESS CONFERENCE IN OTTAWA ON
6 OCTOBER.
NEXT QUESTION, WARNER TROYER, CITY TELEVISION.
W.T.(UNDERLINED)
MINISTER, IF I CAN USE A PHRASE WHICH WILL NOT MAKE A BAD PUN IN TRANSLATION. WHILE YOU HAVE BEEN WOOING FOREIGN BUSINESSMEN AND INVESTORS IN CANADA TO COME TO CHINA, THE ONTARIO PREMIER WILLIAM DAVIS AND HIS MINISTER OF TRADE AND INDUS- TRY, FRANK MILLER, HAVE BEEN IN HONG KONG TRYING TO ATTRACT SOME OF THE NERVOUS BUSINESSMEN AND INDUSTRIALISTS THERE, AND ENCOURAGE THEM TO PUT MONEY INTO ONTARIO. I WONDER WHETHER AS A RESULT OF SECRET NEGOTIATIONS WHICH PRIME MINISTER THATCHER TOLD US ABOUT HERE TEN DAYS AGO ON THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG, YOU HAVE ANY WORDS OF REASS- URANCE FOR THOSE INVESTORS IN HONG KONG WHO ARE NOW CONSIDERING PUTTING MONEY INTO SINGAPORE AND KUALA LUMPUR, AND INDEED NOW, INTO
ONTARIO ?
MR. WU (UNDERLINED) I THINK THE FOREIGN INVESTORS, INCLUDING THE CANADIAN AND BRITISH INVESTORS, AND OWNERS OF PROPERTIES IN HONG KONG SHOULD NOT BE NERVOUS AT ALL. AS THE CHINESE POLICY WHICH WE HAVE STATED ON MANY OCCASIONS - HAVE STIPULATED AFTER WE RESUME THE EXERCISE OF SOVEREIGNTY OF HONG KONG, WE WILL NOT TOUCH, IN FACT WE WILL KEEP ALL THE PROPERTIES, THE PRIVATE PROPERTIES IN HONG KONG, INTACT. THEY WILL BE ALLOWED TO MAINTAIN THE IR CONTACTS AND RELATIONS WITH FOREIGN COUNTRIES, AND DO THE TRANSACTIONS AS USUAL. HERE I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TELL OUR FRIENDS THAT, UNDER THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA, THERE ARE GOING TO BE TWO SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGIONS - NAMELY, HONG KONG AND TAIWAN. AFTER REPEATED AND CARE- FUL CONSIDERATION OF THE SPECIAL CONDITIONS THERE, WE THINK THAT THE WE SHOULD ADOPT SPECIAL POLICIES TOWARDS THESE TWO REGIONS. MOST IMPORTANT ASPECT OF SUCH SPECIAL POLICIES IS THAT THE SOCIAL SYSTEM IN THESE TWO REGIONS WILL REMAIN UNCHANGED, . OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SPECIAL POLICIES, WITH RESPECT TO HONG KONG, FOR INSTANCE, ARE THAT THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM WILL REMAIN UNCHANGED, AND OF COURSE AFTER CHINA RESUMES THE EXERCISE OF SOVEREIGNTY OVER HONG KONG, THERE SHOULDN'T BE SUCH WORDING AS HER MAJESTY, THE QUEEN'S
RESTRICTED
/ GOVERNMENT
Se401