headlined the point that the degree of acceptability increased in line with people's
people's awareness of the agreement. Ming Pao emphasised that the survey was conducted not because people had no faith in the Assessment Office. Sing Tao Jih Pao said that people were particularly concerned about civil rights. HK Daily News (independent) focussed on indications that 50% of people would not "set their hearts at ease" until the agreement was honoured. HK Times (pro-Taiwan) said the majority of interviewees felt there to be a lack of assurances in the agreement.
6
There was considerable editorial comment on the survey, with Tin Tin Daily, Centre Daily News and Ching Po (all pro-China) saying it was understandable that people accepted the agreement with reservations.
The papers
said that China and Britain should implement
implement the agreement pragmatically to allay people's worries and boost confidence. Ching Po added that the findings indicated that the agreement was a good one, and urged Hong Kong people to continue to work hard for Hong Kong's stability and prosperity. A columnist in Ta Kung Pao described the survey as "responsible". Ming Pao noted editorially that most Hong Kong people accepted that Hong Kong was part of China, and 80% of interviewees accepted that the territory should be returned to China in 1997. Nonetheless, many people still distrusted the Chinese regime and had doubts about Hong Kong's future status.
future status. SCMP summed up
SCMP summed up the poll as fair, reflecting fears, doubts and misgivings, and reluctance to take the plunge towards a momentous change. However, the degree of support for the agreement was
the agreement was still remarkable, and could even strengthen given hard
hard work
work by Britain, China and Hong Kong itself.
6 December 1984 (SGD 4/02)
COUNCIL CHAMBER
RESTRICTED