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14. A NUMBER OF OTHER LESS AUTHORITATIVE SURVEYS OF PUBLIC OPINION HAVE BEEN CONDUCTED. OF THESE, A POLL OF BUSINESSMEN (ONLY 550 OR 20% OF THOSE ASKED, ANSWERED) REVEALED THREE MAIN THEMES: MAINTENANCE OF THE STATUS QUO, ''INDIRECT'' RESTORATION OF CHINA'S SOVEREIGNTY, AND BRITAIN CONTINUING TO GOVERN HONG KONG. OTHER SURVEYS WERE CONDUCTED BY MAGAZINES (BAIXING, ZHENGMING, THE 70S, YOUNG REPORTER). THEIR INCONCLUSIVE FINDINGS SUGGESTED THAT MOST PEOPLE WERE CONTENT WITH THE STATUS QUO BUT ACKNOWLEDGED THAT
HONG KONG IS A PART OF CHINA.
PRESS ACCOUNTS OF CHINA'S VIEWS ON THE FUTURE
15. PRESS COMMENT HAS BEEN BASED ON VERY LITTLE GENUINE SOURCE
MATERIAL (WEBB'S TELELETTER OF 3 AUGUST TO HOARE).
16. FROM 1 JULY CONSIDERABLE SPECULATION WAS GENERATED BY
**BAIXING'' AND ''ZHENG MING** ACCOUNTS OF WHAT DENG ZIAOPING
WAS ALLEGED TO HAVE SAID ABOUT CHINA RESTORING''SOVEREIGNTY
AROUND 1997, WHILST ENSURING THAT THE PROSPERITY AND STABILITY
OF THE FREE PORT WOULD CONTINUE. SIMILARLY, PENG ZHEN'S
STATEMENT OF 16 JULY, CALLING ON COMPATRIOTS IN TAIWAN, HONG KONG
AND MACAU TO STUDY THE CHINESE DRAFT CONSTITUTION FUELLED
SPECULATION THAT A TAIWAN SOLUTION'' WAS ALSO APPROPRIATE FOR
HONG KONG,
17. BY 3 AUGUST THE PRESS HAD BEEN GIVEN A MORE AUTHORITATIVE
INDICATION OF PEKING'S OFFICIAL VIEWS, THESE WERE REVEALED IN
''SHIJIE ZHISHI'''S (WORLD KNOWLEDGE) ARTICLE ON THE QUESTION
OF HONG KONG AND MACAU (MY TELNO 849). THE PRESS ACKNOWLEDGED
THE INTENTION THAT PUBLICATION OF THIS ARTICLE WAS TO ''DISCOURAGE
SPECULATION AND REMOVE FEARS''. GENERALLY SPEAKING, THE PRESS
ACCEPTED THAT CHINESE VIEWS ON THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG HAD
CHANGED LITTLE SINCE HUANG HUA'S STATEMENT TO THE UN IN MARCH 1972.
THE POINTS IN SHIJIE ZHISHI'''S ARTICLE ON WHICH THE PRESS
FOCUSSED WERE AS FOLLOWS:
(1) REITERATION OF CHINA'S SOVEREIGNTY OVER HONG KONG AND
MACAU,
(11) NEITHER SHOULD BE REGARDED AS A COLONY,
(111) HONG KONG AND MACAU WILL BE PEACEFULLY RE-UNITED WITH
CHINA AT SOME FUTURE DATE AND THE PROSPERITY OF THE
TWO TERRITORIES WILL CONTINUE,
(IV) WHEN THE CONDITIONS ARE RIPE, CHINA WILL RESOLVE THE ISSUE
BY SUITABLE AND PEACEFUL MEANS '
;
(V) UNTIL THAT RESOLUTION, THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT EXPECTS
THE STATUS QUO IN BOTH TERRITORIES TO REMAIN UNCHANGED.
PERSONAL CONTACT WITH THE PUBLIC
18. THE WEEKLY EDITION OF TALKING POINTS MADE UP FROM CITY DISTRICT
OFFICERS' CONTACTS AMONG THE PUBLIC INDICATE THAT THE PREVAILING
MOOD IN RECENT WEEKS HAS BEEN GLOOMY. NEARLY ALL CONTACTS EXPRESS
EAGERNESS FOR AN EARLY DECISION, BUT MANY NOW SEEM RESIGNED TO
UNCERTAINTY AT LEAST FOR A TIME. ALTHOUGH NO ATTEMPT IS MADE TO
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