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TO DESKBY 17090OZ FCO
TELNO 2187
OF 17044OZ OCTOBER 85
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INDEX
YOUR TELNO 1537: VISIT OF MR. RENTON: BRIEFING ON NONA
FOLLOWING ARE DRAFT PARAGRAPHS ON NONA FOR INCLUSION IN MR. RENTON'S
BRIEF.
1. SINCE THE COMMUNIST TAKE-OVER IN CHINA IN 1949, THE NEW CHINA
NEWS AGENCY HONG KONG BRANCH HAS SERVED AS CHINA'S SEMI-OFFICIAL
REPRESENTATION IN HONG KONG. IT IS THE PRINCIPAL CHANNEL OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE HONG KONG AND CHINESE GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS, PARTICULARLY THOSE IN GUANGDONG. THE DIRECTOR OF THE
AGENCY IS ALWAYS THE MOST SENIOR CHINESE OFFICIAL RESIDENT IN
HONG KONG. (THE STANDARD NEW CHINA NEWS AGENCY BUREAU IS ONLY
A VERY SMALL PART OF ITS ACTIVITIES). THE DIRECTOR AND DEPUTY DIRECTORS OF NONA HONG KONG, TOGETHER WITH A NUMBER OF OTHER
SENIOR OFFICIALS FORM THE UMBRELLA PARTY COMMITTEE WHICH IS
RESPONSIBLE FOR COORDINATION AND ULTIMATE POLICY CONTROL OF THE
LARGE NUMBER OF PRO-BASED ORGANISATIONS IN HONG KONG. IN PRACTICE,
THE MAJOR FINANCIAL AND TRADE ENTERPRISES (E.G. BOC AND CHINA
RESOURCES CORPORATION) ARE AUTONOMOUS IN THE CONDUCT OF THEIR
FINANCIAL AND TRADING ACTIVITIES. FOR MANY YEARS THE NEW CHINA
NEWS AGENCY HAS BEEN DIVIDED INTO FUNCTIONAL DEPARTMENTS (E.G. LABOUR, EDUCATION, UNITED FRONT, PROPAGANDA, ETC.) TO FACILITATE THE PURSUIT OF THE STANDARD COMMUNIST PARTY OBJECTIVES OF SECURING
THE MAXIMUM POSSIBLE ADHESION TO CHINESE VIEWS AND PERSUADING
NON-COMMUNIST FIGURES TO BE SYMPATHETIC TO PEKING RATHER THAN TO
TAIWAN. THIS WORK IS CARRIED OUT BY USING COMMUNIST-CONTROLLED TRADE UNIONS, SCHOOLS, COMMERCIAL ENTERPRISES AND FRONT ORGANISA- TIONS. SINCE THE CULTURAL REVOLUTION, CHINA-S DESIRE TO PARTICIPATE IN AND PROFIT FROM HONG KONG'S RAPID ECONOMIC GROWTH HAS TAKEN PRECEDENCE OVER IDEOLOGICAL OBJECTIVES. DURING THE NEGOTIATIONS ON HONG KONG'S FUTURE, THE NONA'S ACTIVITIES WERE DIRECTED TOWARDS GIVING SUPPORT FOR CHINA'S OBJECTIVES, AND INCLUDED THE ORCHESTR-
ATION OF THE EXTENSIVE, AND AT TIMES STRIDENT, PROPAGANDA CAMPAIGN.
THE DAY TO DAY BUSINESS OF MANAGING HONG KONG'S RELATIONSHIP WITH
THE MAINLAND THROUGH THE NONA CHANNEL NEVERTHELESS CONTINUED IN
THE NORMAL WAY.
2. FOLLOWING THE SIGNATURE AND RATIFICATION OF THE AGREEMENT THE TACTICS PURSUED BY NCNA HAVE CHANGED IN LINE WITH CHINA'S CURRENT OBJECTIVES, WHICH ARE TO SEEK TO RESERVE FOR CHINA THE MAXIMUM DEGREE OF CONTROL OVER HONG KONG POST-1997 COMPATIBLE
WITH THE MAINTENANCE OF HONG KONG'S VALUE TO CHINA AS AN ADVANCED ECONOMY AND INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL CENTRE. CHANGES HAVE BEEN
SECRET
MADE
REGISTRY
ction Taken