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FM HONG KONG 2702032.AUG 82
TO PRIORITY F C O
TELEGRAN NUMBER 944 OF 27 AUGUST
INFO PRIORITY PEKING
YOUR TELNO 634 : CONSULTATION ON FUTURE OF HONG KONG
THE FOLLOWING SOURCES ARE AVAILABLE:
A) PRESS COMMENT ON PUBLIC OPINION,
E) SURVEYS OF PUBLIC OPINION,
C) PRESS COMMENT ON PERCEIVED CHINESE VIEWS,
D) PUBLIC COMMENT AT DISTRICT OFFICE LEVEL.
2. NO SINGLE PREFERRED SOLUTION FOR THE FUTURE ENERGES FROM THESE SOURCES, ALTHOUGH THERE ARE A NUMBER OF CONSISTENT THEMES:
A) A GENERAL WISH FOR THE STATUS QUO TO CONTINUE, BUT RESIGNATION TO THE IDEA THAT SOME CHANGE MUST COME EVENTUALLY,
B) RECOGNITION (OFTEN TAKEN AS SELF-EVIDENT) THAT HONG KONG IS A PART OF CHINA AND THUS A DISINCLINATION TO CONTEST THE VALIDITY OF CHINA'S CLAIM TO ULTIMATE SOVEREIGNTY,
C) NOTHING SHOULD HAPPEN TO UPSET HONG KONG'S STABILITY AND
PROSPERITY,
D) A DESIRE FOR EARLY DISCUSSION AND DECISION ON ARRANGEMENTS FOR
THE FUTURE, AND
E) THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG SHOULD BE CONSULTED ABOUT THEIR
FUTURE.
PRESS COMMENT
THE
3. THE HK STANDARD HAS STATED A WIDELY ACCEPTED VIEW THAT
VAST MAJORITY OF US CHERISH OUR CHINESE ROOTS. THE STRENGTH OF
CHINA'S BASIC POSITION HAS BEEN REFLECTED IN AND BROADLY ACCEPTED BY THE LOCAL PRESS. AS MING PAO COMMENTED ON 3 AUGUST, THK AND
MACAU WILL EVENTUALLY BE HANDED BACK TO CHINA. THE EXPRESS (2
AUGUST )SAID THE PEOPLE OF BRITAIN AND HK MUST FACE REALITY.
THEY MUST NOT OBJECT TO CHINA'S RESTORATION OF SOVEREIGNTY IN NAME ONLY, PROVIDED THAT CHINA WILL NOT INTERFERE WITH THE POLITICAL, ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL ACTIVITIES IN HK AND THAT EVERYTHING WILL GO
ON AS USUAL'' THE FINANCIAL DAILY ALSO CONSIDERED THE FEASIBILITY
OF BRITAIN'S RECOGNISING CHINA'S CLAIMS TO SOVEREIGNTY, BUT AGREEING TO CONTINUE TO ADMINISTER HONG KONG. IT CONCLUDED, HOWEVER,
THAT CHINA'S RESTORATION OF SOVEREIGNTY WOULD SO ALTER HONG
KONG'S RELATIVE POLITICAL, ECONOMIC AND LEGAL INDEPENDENCE'' THAT SUCH A SOLUTION WOULD FAIL TO ENSURE THE MAINTENANCE OF STABILITY
AND PROSPERITY.
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