CONFIDENTIAL
GRS 400
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON
TELNO 1194
OF 28O4OOZ NOVEMBER 85
INFO PRIORITY HKGO NEW YORK, HKGO BRUSSELS, HKGO WASHINGTON, INFO PRIORITY HKGO GENEVA, UKMIS GENEVA, FCO.
"
162
HKG/GT/112. FUTURE OF HONG KONG REMARKS BY MP 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 PEFORM 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.
CONFIDENTIAL
12.
Han 040/4
RECEIVED F AFGISTRY
- 4 DEC 1985
DESK OTTICAN INDEA
PA
ひ
REGISTRY
Action Taken