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UNCLASSIFIED
HX8301/1
RECE
pa.
- 8 NOV 1990
77
037253
MDLIAN 4436
UNCLASSIFIED
FM HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 3236
OF 06094OZ NOVEMBER 90
TOP COPY Q DIST?
INFO ROUTINE HKGO LONDON, PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG INFO ROUTINE HKGO WASHINGTON, HKGO NEW YORK, HKGO SAN FRANCISCO INFO ROUTINE HKGO GENEVA, UKMIS GENEVA
HONG KONG AGREEMENT: PRESS COVERAGE: WEEKLY ROUNDUP
SUMMARY
1.
THE MEDIA ACCORDED ROUTINE COVERAGE TO NEWS RELATING TO THE FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF HK, THE PADS PROJECTS AND THE NATIONALITY ISSUE.
HK'S FUTURE
2.
THE DIRECTOR OF THE STATE COUNCIL'S HK AND MACAU AFFAIRS OFFICE, JI PENGFEI, SAID THAT CHINA WAS IN SUPPORT OF THE INTRODUCTION OF DIRECT ELECTIONS TO LEGCO IN 1991 AND THAT HE HOPED THAT MORE PEOPLE FROM THE INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL SECTOR WOULD TAKE PART IN THE POLLS.
3.
CHIEF SECRETARY SIR DAVID WAS QUOTED (1.11) AS SAYING THAT THERE HAD BEEN A WIDE CONSENSUS IN LEGCO ON THE IMPORTANCE OF CREATING BETTER UNDERSTANDING ON HK AND CHINA THROUGH GREATER CONTACTS BETWEEN CIVIL SERVANTS, IN THE COMMERCIAL FIELD AND BETWEEN LEGCO AND CHINA. A BETTER DIALOGUE WITH CHINA SHOULD NOT BE SEEN AS GIVING THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT A VETO OVER DECISIONS WHICH SHOULD BE TAKEN BY THE HK GOVERNMENT AND THE FUTURE HK SAR GOVERNMENT. ATTORNEY GENERAL JEREMY MATHEWS SAID THAT CHINA DID NOT HAVE AN IMPLICIT POWER OF VETO OVER HK POLICIES AND THAT THE JD HAD SPELT OUT THAT THE UK GOVERNMENT WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR HK IN THE PERIOD LEADING TO JULY 1, 1997.
4.
A MEMBER OF A FOUR-MEMBER PARLIAMENTARY DELEGATION TO CHINA, SIR DAVID STEEL OF THE LIBERAL DEMOCRATS, QUOTED CHINA'S VICE-PREMIER WU XEWQIAN AS SAYING THAT CHINA UNDERSTOOD THE NEED TO MAINTAIN HKS' CONFIDENCE IN ITS CAPITALIST FUTURE AND THAT CHINA WOULD SUPPORT ANYTHING WHICH WOULD BE BENEFICIAL TO HK'S ECONOMY. SENIOR LEGCO MEMBER ALLEN LEE SAID THAT THE TIME WAS RIPE FOR OMELCO MEMBERS TO INCREASE COMMUNICATIONS WITH CHINA AND THAT MANY HK ISSUES MIGHT NOT BE
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