UNCLASSIFIED
HKB 30
33
143350 MDLIAN 3194
UNCLASSIFIED
FM HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 1651
OF 230455Z MAY 90
24 MAY 1990
ре
RM24/5
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. THERE WAS LITTLE REPORTING ON NEWS RELATING TO THE FUTURE OF THE TERRITORY IN THE MEDIA DURING THE PERIOD UNDER REVIEW.
FUTURE POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT
2.
FCO MINISTER FRANCIS MAUDE, IN A SPEECH TO THE SOCIETY OF CONSERVATIVE LAWYERS, SAID THAT THE JD HAD ALREADY PROVIDED THAT HK WOULD ENJOY A HIGH DEGREE OF AUTONOMY AND WOULD MAINTAIN ITS EXISTING LIFE-STYLE, THE MEDIA (22.5) REPORTED. MR MAUDE NOTED THAT THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT HAD ALL ALONG MADE PRACTICAL LEGAL ARRANGEMENTS TO ENSURE THAT THESE SYSTEMS WOULD REMAIN UNCHANGED AFTER 1997. THE BL HAD BEEN PROMULGATED AFTER FIVE YEARS' HARD WORK. IF CHINA WAS NOT TO ATTACH IMPORTANCE TO THESE ARRANGEMENTS, IT WOULD NOT SPEND SO MUCH TIME AND EFFORT ON THE DRAFTING WORK. HE SAID THAT CHINA HAD ALWAYS HAD THE CAPACITY TO INTERVENE IN HK AFFAIRS AND THAT THE COMING OF 1997 WOULD MAKE NO SERIOUS DIFFERENCE AT ALL.
3. NPC LOCAL DELEGATE LIU YIU-CHU TOLD THE SCM POST (21.5) THAT SHE WOULD URGE MAINLAND OFFICIALS TO MAKE AN EARLY START ON THE FORMATION OF THE SAR DURING HER VISIT TO PEKING NEXT MONTH. MS LIU SAID THAT BY 1996, CONCRETE ARRANGEMENTS MUST BE IN PLACE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE BL. SHE SAID THAT PEOPLE WOULD BEGIN TO THINK ABOUT WHO WOULD BE SITTING ON THE PREPARATORY COMMITTEE AND THE SELECTION COMMITTEE. THE LATEST FINDINGS OF AN ONGOING OPINION POLL CONDUCTED BY THE CNTA INDICATED THAT HK PEOPLE WERE MORE CONCERNED ABOUT HK'S FUTURE, TRANSPORT MATTERS AND VBP PROBLEM, THE MEDIA (22.5) REPORTED. IT WAS FOUND THAT MANY MALE PROFESSIONALS HOLDING SENIOR POSTS IN THE COMMERCIAL SECTOR WERE WORRIED ABOUT THE TERRITORY'S FUTURE AND WERE PLANNING TO EMIGRATE.
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