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ADDED THAT THE QUOTE HK-BRITISH GOVERNMENT IS ENTIRELY CAPABLE OF INJECTING DOLLARS 20 BILLION INTO THE RAILWAY PROJECT FROM ITS HUGE RESERVES. BUT THE FUTURE SAR GOVERNMENT IS NOT SO WELL PLACED WITH RESERVES OF ONLY DOLLARS 25 BILLION UNQUOTE.
IN THE MAINSTREAM PRESS AND MEDIA, THE AIRPORT STORY HAS BEEN PARTIALLY ECLIPSED BY REPORTING ON THE EXCHANGE RATE CRISIS IN EUROPE. IN GENERAL, THE MAINSTREAM NEWSPAPERS AND ELECTRONIC MEDIA HAVE CONCLUDED THAT OUR RESPONSE IS CONSTRUCTIVE AND WOULD PROVIDE THE BASIS FOR A SETTLEMENT IF THE CHINESE WERE GENUINELY ANXIOUS TO BREAK THE DEADLOCK. FOR EXAMPLE, THE MASS CIRCULATION ORIENTAL DAILY ARGUED THAT QUOTE THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT'S AND THE SAR'S REVENUES ARE ASSETS OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG. CHINA WOULD BE IMPOSING UNNECESSARY OBSTACLES TO PROGRESS IN THE AIRPORT TALKS IF ITS REPRESENTATIVES INSISTED THAT THE BRITISH SIDE ALONE SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR FINANCING THE AIRPORT PROJECT UNQUOTE. SIMILARLY, SING TAO SAID THAT QUOTE THE BRITISH PROPOSAL TO USE LAND SALES REVENUE TO FUND THE AIRPORT PROJECT WAS REASONABLE. THE PROJECT WOULD BENEFIT THE SAR AND IT WAS REASONABLE THAT IT BE ASKED TO MAKE A COMMITMENT UNQUOTE.
5.
THE MAINSTREAM PRESS AND MEDIA HAVE ALSO PICKED UP SOME OF THE LEFT WING CRITICISM AND THE REMARKS ON UDHK LEADERS WHO ARGUED THAT THE PROPOSALS AMOUNTED TO A POLITICAL CONCESSION TO CHINA. THE ORIENTAL DAILY WAS CONCERNED THAT INJECTING DOLLARS 40 BILLION INTO THE ACP MIGHT RESULT IN CUT-BACKS IN FUNDING FOR SOCIAL SERVICE PROGRAMMES. SING TAO TOOK A SIMILAR LINE, AND ADDED THAT THE ADDITIONAL LAND SALES WOULD AFFECT MARKET PRICES. THE TIN TIN DAILY RAN TWO LEADING ARTICLES ARGUING THAT THE PROPOSALS HAD NOT ADDRESSED CHINESE CONCERNS ABOUT COST- EFFECTIVENESS.
6.
THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE DAILIES BALANCED THEIR GENERALLY POSITIVE REPORTING OF OUR PROPOSALS WITH DOUBTS AND CRITICISM FROM SOME LEGCO MEMBERS, AIRPORT CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND UNNAMED CHINESE OFFICIALS. IN ITS EDITORIAL, THE SCMP SAID QUOTE ON THE FACE OF IT, THE BRITISH PROPOSAL ADDRESSES MANY OF CHINA'S CONCERNS ABOUT POST-1997 DEBT UNQUOTE. HOWEVER, THE WRITER CONCLUDED THAT QUOTE THE GOVERNMENT HAS NOT CONVINCED THE PUBLIC THAT IT IS NOT PLANNING TO SACRIFICE SPENDING ON WELFARE PROGRAMMES FOR THE SALE OF THE AIRPORT UNQUOTE. THE STANDARD TOOK A MORE CRITICAL LINE, CONCLUDING IN ITS EDITORIAL THAT QUOTE ONCE AGAIN, WHILE CHINA, BRITAIN AND HONG KONG GOVERNMENT PLAY POLITICS, THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG ARE CHEATED UNQUOTE.
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