хх
ADVANCE COPAKKC 027/¢
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
IMMEDIATE 2 7 APR 1984
DESK OFFICER
INDEX
PA
A Loken
307
718
00
HONG KONG
DESKBY 181215Z
00 FCO DESKBY 181215Z
00
LISBON
GR 500
RESTRICTED
DESKBY FCO/HONG KONG 181215Z
FM PEKING 18110OZ APR 84
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELEGRAM NUMBER 62 OF 18 APRIL
INFO IMMEDIATE FCO
INFO LISBON (FOR PS/PRIME MINISTER)
1153/18
FOR GOULDEN (SECRETARY OF STATE'S PARTY)
cha (8/
Mr. Hm Mr. Powell?
PEKING TEL NO 60 (NOT TO LISBON) FUTURE OF HONG KONG: 270 VISIT BY THE SECRETARY OF STATE: PRESS STATEMENT
1. WE HAVE NOW OBTAINED (FROM REUTERS) THE COMPLETE TEXT
OF THE NCNA REPORT, AS FOLLOWS
BEGINS
BEIJING, APRIL 18 (XINHUA)
CHAIRMAN DENG XIAOPING AND
BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY GEOFFREY HOWE HAD A WIDE-RANGING
DISCUSSION AND AGREED ON IMPORTANT MATTERS CONCERNING THE
ISSUE OF HONG KONG HERE TODAY.
DENG XIAOPING REITERATED THAT THE PRESENT SYSTEM IN HONG KONG
WOULD REMAIN UNCHANGED FOR 50 YEARS FOLLOWING CHINA'S RECOVERY
OF ITS SOVEREIGNTY OVER HONG KONG IN 1997.
* THIS POSITION OF OURS IS TAKEN IN CONNECTION WITH
CHINA'S LONG-TERM OBJECTIVE OF REALIZING THE FOUR MODERNIZATIONS''
SAID THE CHAIRMAN OF THE CENTRAL ADVISORY COMMISSION OF THE CHINESE
COMMUNIST PARTY.
AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING, DENG XIAOPING SAID TO HOWE,
'' GREAT CHANGES HAVE TAKEN PLACE IN CHINA SINCE YOUR LAST VISIT
IN 1978. BUT, COMPARED WITH OUR SPLENDID GOALS, THEY ARE JUST
'' OUR FIRST GOAL IS TO ENSURE A WELL-OFF LIVING STANDARD FOR THE
CHINESE PEOPLE BY THE END OF THIS CENTURY,'' HE SAID.
**WE ALSO HAVE A SECOND GOAL, THAT IS, TO REACH OR APPROACH THE ECON
THE ADVANCED COUNTRIES IN THE NEXT
30 TO 50 YEARS, HE ADDED.
HE SAID THAT THE FUTURE OF CHINA DOES NOT DEPEND ON THE ROLE
OF ONE OR TWO PERSONS, BUT RATHER ON THE CORRECTNESS OF THE POLICIES AND THE ROAD TO BE TAKEN. IF THE ROAD IS CORRECT, NO ONE CAN CHANGE IT BECAUSE ANY CHANGE WOULD BE UNPOPULAR, HE SAID. * THE CHANGES THAT HAVE TAKEN PLACE IN CHINA IN THE LAST
FEW YEARS ARE IN ACCORD WITH THE INTERESTS AND WISHES OF THE CHINESE PEOPLE. THEREFORE, THEY WILL BE CONTINUED, DENG SAID. HOWE SAID THAT HE HAD SEEN MANY CHANGES IN BEIJING DURING HIS
VISIT, ADDING THAT HE WAS MOST PLEASED TO SEE CHAIRMAN DENG
IN GOOD HEALTH, IN HIGH SPIRITS AND FULL OF CONFIDENCE.
THE 90- MINUTE DISCUSSION ALSO TOUCHED ON A NUMBER OF
INTERNATIONAL ISSUES.
PRESENT WERE CHINESE STATE COUNCILLOR AND FOREIGN MINISTER WU XUEQIAN, ASSISTANT FOREIGN MINISTER ZHOU NAM AND MEMBERS
OF SIR GEOFFREY HOWE'S PARTY.
ENDS
*