GRS 400
عما
CONFIDENTIAL
TCP OUP T
356
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON
TELNO 1194
OF 2804OOZ NOVEMBER 85
INFO PRIORITY HKGO NEW YORK, HKGO BRUSSELS, HKGO WASHINGTON,
INFO PRIORITY HKGO GENEVA, UKMIS GENEVA, FCO.
HKG/GT/112. FUTURE OF HONG KONG : REMARKS BY MR XU JIATUN.
BACKGROUND.
THERE HAS BEEN PROMINENT AND WIDESPREAD COVERAGE IN THE HONG
KONG AND BRITISH PRESS AND IN AGENCY REPORTS OF REMARKS MADE BY MR XU JIATUN, DIRECTOR OF NCNA HONG KONG, AT A PRESS CONFERENCE HE GAVE IN HONG KONG ON 21 NOVEMBER. MUCH OF THE CONFERENCE WAS DEVOTED TO DISCUSSION OF CHINA'S INTERNAL AFFAIRS, PARTICULARLY ON A RECENT ARTICLE ABOUT CLASS STRUGGLE IN THE PARTY MAGAZINE ''RED FLAG''. MR XU MADE A NUMBER OF POINTS ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENT OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT IN HONG KONG, AND THE RELATIONSHIP OF THE CURRENT REFORMS TO THE BASIC LAW DRAFTING PROCESS. THE POINTS
WHICH RECEIVED MOST ATTENTION WERE :
(A) THERE SHOULD NOT BE 12 YEARS OF GREAT CHANGES FOLLOWED BY 50
YEARS OF NO CHANGE.
(B) IT WOULD BE PREFERABLE FOR THE CURRENT PROCESS OF REFORM TO BE
COMPATIBLE WITH THE BASIC LAW.
(C) IN CERTAIN RESPECTS THERE WAS ALREADY A TENDENCY TO DEVIATE
FROM THE PRINCIPLES OF THE JOINT DECLARATION, AND THIS WOULD NOT BE
IGNORED (XU DECLINED TO ELABORATE).
(D) THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT HAD NO OPLIGATIONS TOWARDS THE MOVES
TOWARDS REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT INTRODUCED BY THE BRITISH SIDE.
12.
CONFIDENTIAL
RCFIVED
HRR OU!!
-
- 4 DEC 1985
NREGISTRY