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FM HONG KONG
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INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON INFO ROUTINE PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG, UKMIS GENEVA INFO ROUTINE HKGO WASHINGTON, HKGO NEW YORK, HKGO GENEVA INFO ROUTINE HKGO SAN FRANCISCO
HONG KONG AGREEMENT : PRESS COVERAGE : WEEKLY ROUNDUP
SUMMARY
1. THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS IN THE REPLACEMENT AIRPORT PROJECT WERE COVERED EXTENSIVELY. THE NATIONALITY ISSUE AND THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG WERE GIVEN MODERATE COVERAGE.
AIRPORT PROJECT
2. MOST PAPERS (6.10) PLAYED UP REMARKS BY CS AT PRESS CONFERENCE ON OCTOBER 5 THAT THE GOVERNMENT WOULD FINANCE THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE LANTAU FIXED CROSSING PROJECT ITSELF. SIR DAVID SAID THAT THIS WOULD RESULT IN SAVINGS IN TIME AND MONEY BUT THE GOVERNMENT WOULD WISH TO PROVIDE SUBSTANTIAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR PRIVATE- SECTOR INVOLVEMENT IN MAJOR PROJECTS SUCH AS THE AIRPORT ITSELF, THE PORT, THE AIRPORT RAILWAY AND THE THIRD CROSS-HARBOUR TUNNEL. SIR DAVID SAID THAT MEMBERS OF A CHINESE EXPERT TEAM WOULD ARRIVE IN HONG KONG ON OCTOBER 15 FOR A 10 DAY VISIT TO DISCUSS THE AIRPORT PROJECT WITH HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS.
3. NCNA DIRECTOR ZHOU NAN DECLINED TO COMMENT ON THE GOVERNMENT'S DECISION BY SAYING THAT HE DID NOT KNOW MUCH ABOUT THE ISSUE. THE HEAD OF THE AGENCY'S FOREIGN AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT, JI SHAOXIANG, URGED THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT TO LISTEN TO VIEWS EXPRESSED BY VARIOUS SECTIONS OF THE COMMUNITY. QIAO ZHONGHUAI, SAID THAT CHINA HAD ALREADY MADE CLEAR ITS STANCE ON THE ISSUE AND THAT SINCE THE AIRPORT WOULD INVOLVE MANY FIELDS, THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE CAUTIOUS ABOUT IT.
4. A HEAD OF A RESEARCH UNIT ON HONG KONG AND MACAU AFFAIRS AT THE JIAN UNIVERSITY, HE SHENGJIA, WAS QUOTED AS SAYING THAT HONG KONG SHOULD BUILD A REPLACEMENT AIRPORT BECAUSE THE ZHEN SHEN AIRPORT DID NOT MEET INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS. HE SAID THAT NO SINGLE AIRPORT IN CHINA COULD REPLACE THE HONG KONG AIRPORT.
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