GRS 450
RESTRICTED
FM PEKING
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNC 1358
RESTRICTED
ARROLL
ECEIVED IN REGISTRY
2 0 DEC 1985
OF 190833Z DECEMBER 85
INDEA
INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG
Y
AJB 29
12
JI PENGFER'S VISIT TO HONG KONG: CHINESE PRESS REPORTING
1.
REGULAR REPORTS OF J! PENGFE'S VISIT HAVE APPEARED IN THE CHINESE PRESS, BOTH THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE CHINA DAILY AND THE PEOPLE'S DAILY. THEY HAVE SEEN FACTUAL AND LOW-KEY. NO COMMENTARIES HAVE APPEARED.
2.
TO DATE, REPORTS OF THE FOLLOWING ITEMS IN JI'S PROGRAMME HAVE BEEN CARRIED IN PEOPLE'S DAILY: HIS DEPARTURE FROM PEKING,- ARRIVAL IN HONG KONG, HIS TALKS WITH AND BANQUET HOSTED BY THE GOVERNOR, THE BANQUET HOSTED BY THE BASIC LAW DRAFTING COMMITTEE VICE-CHAIRMAN AND THE RECEPTION AT THE HILTON HOTEL HOSTED BY THEM, THE BANQUET HOSTED BY VARIOUS COMMERCIAL/PROFESSIONAL ORGANISATIONS AND HIS MEETING WITH OVER 40 FOREIGN BUSINESSMEN, AND HIS PRESENCE AT THE INAUGURATION OF THE BASIC LAW CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE.
3.
THERE WAS LITTLE OF NOTE IN ANY OF THESE REPORTS OTHER THAN A LIST AND EXPLANATION OF THOSE PRESENT AND A MENTION OF ONE OR 40 OF JI'S REMARKS AT EACH OCCASION. THE REPORT OF HIS MEETING AND BANQUET WITH THE GOVERNOR CARRIED THE AGREED PRESS STATEMENT AND QUOTED THE GOVERNOR AS SAYING AT THE DINNER THAT THE RAPID GROWTH OF HONG KONG'S DIRECT AND ENTREPOT TRADE WITH THE CHINESE MAINLAND IN RECENT YEARS HAD BEEN A WELCOME AND SIGNIFICANT NEW ELEMENT IN HONG KONG'S ECONOMIC LIFE. THE GOVERNOR WAS ALSO QUOTED AS SAYING THAT JI WOULD FIND IN THE COMMUNITY IN HONG KONG A UNITY IN HONG KONG'S DETERMINATION TO PRESERVE ITS STABILITY AND PROSPERITY AND TO MAKE A SUCCESS OF THE JOINT DECLARATION. THE REPORT NOTED JI'S REMARK THAT THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL SITUATION IN HONG KONG HAD BEEN FAIRLY GOOD AND THAT THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP AND THE LAND COMMISSION HAD BEEN OPERATING SMOOTHLY AND ADDED THAT JI HAD EXPRESSED THE HOPE THAT THIS WOULD CONTINUE TO BE THE CASE IN THE YEARS AHEAD.
RESTRICTED
422