GRS 550
SECRET
FM HONG KONG
Flick 160/1
ALOE VEDI
JUN 1986
SECRET JUN
DEAK OFFICER
INDEX
ISTRY
tion Takem
طا
135
TO DESKBY 04120OZ FCO
TELNO 1726
OF 04102OZ JUNE 86
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING
PERSONAL FOR WILSON (AUS) FROM GOVERNOR
༩ ! ༩ ༼ ༧ !
(34)
YOUR TELNO 1042 AND MY TELNO 1716; NUCLEAR SAFETY : CHINA
1. • THINK IT WOULD BE WISE FOR MINISTERS TO IMPRESS ON L PENG, AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE CHINESE PARTY IF APPROPRIATE, THAT THE ANXIETY IN HONG KONG ABOUT THE DAYA BAY NUCLEAR PLANT MUST, FOLLOWING THE CHERNOBYL DISASTER, BE TAKEN VERY SERIOUSLY.
2.
THIS ANXIETY IS EXPRESSED AT MORE THAN ONE LEVEL. THE PRESS HAVE REPORTED FULL DETAILS OF WHAT IS HAPPENING AT CHERNOBYL, THE MEASURES WHICH HAVE HAD TO BE TAKEN IN EUROPE TO PROTECT THE HEALTH OF CHILDREN, TO BAN FOOD SUPPLIES FROM EASTERN EUROPE ETC. ETC. THERE ARE DAILY REFERENCES TO OTHER INSTANCES OF RADIATION LEAKAGE AND NUCLEAR ACCIDENTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD.
3. THIS GENERAL ANXIETY BECOMES VERY SPECIFIC AND MORE INTENSE WHEN TRANSLATED INTO SPECULATION ON WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO HONG KONG 'IF, 4N SPITE OF THE SAFETY MEASURES TO BE ADOPTED AT DAYA BAY, THERE WAS AN ACCIDENT THERE. THE TONE OF THE COMMENT IS WELL EXPRESSED AN AN EDITORIAL IN THE REPUTABLE CHINESE NEWSPAPER, THE MING PO TODAY, UNDER THE HEADING, **HONG KONG WOULD BECOME A DEAD CITY'', (WE WILL TELEGRAPH A TRANSLATION TOMORROW). IT IS THE PROXIMITY OF DAYA BAY TO HONG KONG (LESS THAN 50 MILES) AND THE FACT THAT FOR MUCH OF THE YEAR UNDER NORMAL WEATHER PATTERNS HONG KONG LIES DOWN WIND FROM DAYA BAY WHICH MAKES THE CITY SEEM SO VULNERABLE. ADDED TO THIS IS A WIDESPREAD FEAR THAT GIVEN THE SIZE AND DENSITY OF THE POPULATION, AND THE LIMITATIONS ON MEANS OF TRANSPORT OUT OF HONG KONG, EVACUATION WOULD, IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT, PE HMPOSSIBLE FOR ANY SUBSTANTIAL NUMBER OF PEOPLE, (THE MING PO EDITORIAL ASSUMES THAT EVACUATION MIGHT BE POSSIBLE: BUT STILL BELIEVES THAT HONG KONG WOULD BECOME AN ABANDONED CITY).
4.
THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT HAS DONE #ITS BEST TO EMPHASISE THAT INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS OF SAFETY WILL BE MET AT THE PLANT: BUT THE REAL WORRY AMONG THE POPULATION IS NOT THE CONSTRUCTION STANDARDS BUT FEAR THAT THE INEXPERIENCE OF CHINESE OPERATORS WILL LEAD TO THE KIND OF HUMAN ERROR WHICH CAUSED THE THREE MILE ISLAND
AND CHERNOBYL ACCIDENTS.
SECRET
15.