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FM PEKING
TO ROUTINE FCO
TELNO 2150
OF 11072OZ DECEMBER 89
Am
INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
internationalisation.
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CHINESE MEDIA REPORTS ON HONG KONG
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''CHINA DAILY ON 9 DECEMBER CARRIED THE FOLLOWING PRECIS OF AND ARTICLE THAT HAD ORIGINALLY APPEARED IN ''DA KUNG PAO' UNDER THE HEADING ''HANDS OFF CHINA'S SOVEREIGNTY OVER HONG KONG'' QUOTE.
·
HONG KONG IS A MOST IMPORTANT METROPOLIS IT IS AN INTER- NATIONAL CENTRE OF FINANCE, INFORMATION EXCHANGE AND TRADE. ALL THIS ENSURES THE PROSPERITY OF, HONG KONG.
THE SINO-BRITISH JOINT COMMUNIQUE DECLARES THAT THE CURRENT
SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC SYSTEMS IN HONG KONG ARE TO REMAIN INTACT AFTER
1997 WHEN CHINA RESUMES ITS SOVEREIGNTY IN THE REGION AND THAT THE
HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE ZONE SHALL RETAIN ITS STATUS AS A
FREE PORT AND CONTINUE TO SEE TO ITS TARIFF AFFAIRS INDEPENDENTLY. THE COMMUNIQUE ALSO DECLARES THAT THE MARKETS OF GOLD, STOCKS AND CAPITAL IN HONG KONG SHALL CONTINUE TO EXIST AND THAT CAPITAL SHALL
FREELY FLOW IN AND OUT OF THE CITY AND THE HK DOLLAR SHALL CONTINUE
TO BE THE MAIN CURRENCY IN THE CITY AND BE FREELY EXCHANGED.
BUT THE BRITISH AUTHORITIES HAVE INTENTIONALLY CONFUSED HONG
KONG'S INTERNATIONAL STATUS AND ITS ECONOMIC PLURALISM WITH ITS
POLITICAL INTERNATIONALIZATION. HENCE THE TEMPEST IN A TEA POT
OVER THE INTERNATIONALIZATION OF HONG KONG AFFAIRS.
A PROBLEM HAS LONG EXISTED AS AN UNDERCURRENT. THE JUNE 4
INCIDENT IN BEIJING ONLY BROUGHT THE PROBLEM TO THE SURFACE.
ONLY LAST YEAR, THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT AND THE BRITISH AUTHORITIES IN HONG KONG STEPPED UP THE STRATEGY OF HONG KONG
INTERNATIONALIZATION. ON AUGUST 6, 1988, FOR EXAMPLE, THE HONG KONG BRITISH AUTHORITIES PROPOSED TO CHANGE THE LEGAL SYSTEM IN
HONG KONG AND ALLOW AMERICAN LAWYERS TO PRACTISE IN THE CITY.
IN RECENT MONTHS, THE BRITISH AND HONG KONG GOVERNMENTS HAVE PUSHED FORWARD THE INTERNATIONALIZATION OF HONG KONG. THEY SUGGET A UN TRUSTEESHIP, INTERNATIONAL SUPERVISION, HONG KONG CONCESSION AND HONG KONG NEUTRALIZATION.
HIGH RANKING OFFICIALS IN BRITAIN AND HONG KONG EITHER ASK MAJOR INDUSTRIAL COUNTRIES, TOGETHER WITH BRITAIN, FOR THEIR COMMITMENT TO RESETTLE 5 MILLION HONG KONG RESIDENTS AFTER 1997
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