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056727 MDLIAN 96-
STABILITY AND PROSPERITY AND THE GUARANTEE OF A SMOOTH TRANSFER OF SOVEREIGNTY OF HONG KONG AND MACAU IN 1997 AND 1999 HINGED ON CLOSE AND FRIENDLY CO-OPERATION BETWEEN CHINA AND BRITAIN AND
BETWEEN CHINA AND PORTUGAL.
NCNA
4. QUOTING SOURCES, THE PAPERS (18.2) REPORTED THAT THE NCNA HONG KONG BRANCH WAS COMPILING THE FIRST SET OF INFORMATION ON THE 472 CANDIDATES FOR THE DISTRICT BOARD ELECTIONS AND WOULD DISPATCH IT TO PEKING FOR THE CENTRAL AUTHORITIES TO ANALYSE THE ELECTORAL SITUATION HERE. IT WOULD LATER COMPILE ANOTHER SET OF INFORMATION ON THE SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATES. IT WAS UNDERSTOOD THAT EACH CANDIDATE WOULD HAVE A SEPARATE FILE, INCLUDING HIS POLITICAL PLATFORM, THE BACKGROUND OF HIS AFFILIATION WITH POLITICAL GROUPS AND HIS POLITICAL INCLINATION. THE SOURCES SAID THAT THE CHINESE WERE VERY CONCERNED THAT ANTI-COMMUNIST LIBERALS, TAIWAN-RELATED OR TRIAD CANDIDATES MIGHT BE ELECTED TO THE BOARDS. THE CHINESE WERE ACTIVELY TAKING PART IN THE DISTRICT BOARD ELECTION IT WAS BELIEVED THAT THE CHINESE HAD BACKED SOME 70 CANDIDATES. AMONG THEM, 20 CANDIDATES WERE DIRECTLY FINANCED BY THE NCNA HONG KONG BRANCH, WITH EACH CANDIDATE RECEIVING A SUBSIDY OF HKD20,000- 30,000. THE NCNA ALSO MOBILISED PRO-CHINA ORGANISATIONS TO VOTE FOR CERTAIN CANDIDATES.
VISITS
5. CHINA WAS HOPING THAT THE VISIT NEXT MONTH BY THE FORMER DIRECTOR OF THE HONG KONG AND MACAU AFFAIRS OFFICE, JI PENGFEI, AND THREE SENIOR MEMBERS OF THE OFFICE WOULD HELP IMPROVE STRAINED RELATIONS WITH THE TERRITORY, THE SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST (17.2) REPORTED. THE PAPER SAID ANALYSTS BELIEVED THAT THE
DECISION TO HAVE JI PENGFEI INSTEAD OF LU PING LEAD THE DELEGATION SHOWED THAT THE MAINLAND WANTED TO MINIMISE FRICTIONS BETWEEN SOME OUTSPOKEN PEKING OFFICIALS AND HONG KONG. PEKING HOPED THAT MR JI WOULD BE SEEN AS A PEACEMAKER DURING THE VISIT.
JLG
6. ACCORDING TO THE HONG KONG STANDARD (18.2), BRITAIN HAD CALLED FOR MORE MEETINGS AND CONTACTS WITH CHINA THROUGH THE JLG AS HONG KONG ENTERED THE SECOND HALF OF ITS TRANSITION. QUOTING GOVERNMENT SOURCES, THE REPORT NOTED THAT AN EXTRA PLENARY SESSION WAS PLANNED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE YEAR IN ADDITION TO THE USUAL THREE ANNUAL MEETINGS, TO SPEED UP ITS WORK. THE NEED FOR A FOURTH SESSION, SCHEDULED FOR JUNE, WOULD BE DISCUSSED AT NEXT MONTH'S MEETING. THE TWO SIDES WERE EXPECTED TO REVIEW THE
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