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FM PEKING
TO DESKBY 20100OZ F C O
TELNO 695
OF 200921Z MAY 92
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HKA 233/1
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Q DIST?
AND TO IMMEDIATE UKREP JLG HONG KONG, HONG KONG
334
022750
MDHIAN 4632
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20/5
HONG KONG PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR
328
FCO TELNO 403: HMOCS CONSULTATIONS:
SUMMARY
1.
EARLY RETIREMENT
LITTLE GUIDANCE ON WHICH TO FORM VIEW OF CHINESE INTENTIONS REGARDING EXPATRIATE CIVIL SERVANTS. BUT THEY ARE LIKELY TO WANT TO PHASE MOST OF THEM OUT PROGRESSIVELY AFTER 1997. THEY WILL BE SUSPICIOUS OF ANY BRITISH PLAN TO GRANT EARLY RETIREMENT WITH IMMEDIATE PENSION. BEST COURSE IS TO DISCUSS PROBLEM WITH THEM FAIRLY FRANKLY.
DETAIL
2 =
WE CANNOT ADD MUCH TO THE TENTATIVE VIEWS SET OUT IN MY TELNO 563. THE CENTRAL QUESTION IS THE CHINESE VIEW OF THE ROLE OF EXPATRIATE CIVIL SERVANTS IN THE YEARS IMMEDIATELY BEFORE AND AFTER 1997. ON THIS THE FORMAL CHINESE POSITION IS THAT RECORDED IN THE JD AND IN CHAPTER III SECTION 6 OF THE BL. THE REAL POSITION MAY BE DIFFERENT BUT WE DO NOT HAVE THE EVIDENCE NEEDED TO MAKE A
CONFIDENT ASSESSMENT.
3
A FEW CLUES TO THE CHINESE ATTITUDE MAY BE PROVIDED BY REMARKS MADE BY WANG FENGCHAO DURING HIS SPONSORED VISIT TO HONG KONG. THESE CAN BE SUMMARISED AS FOLLOWS:-
(A) THE PROBLEM OF CIVIL SERVICE PENSIONS SHOULD BE SOLVED EARLY
TO EASE THE MINDS OF CIVIL SERVANTS.
(B) THOUGH WORKING FOR THE BRITISH HONG KONG ADMINISTRATION, CIVIL SERVANTS ARE SERVING THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG AND SHOULD NOT BE SUBJECTED TO POLITICAL DISCRIMINATION. THEY OUGHT TO BE ENCOURAGED
TO STAY BEYOND 1997.
(C) THE PROMOTION OF CIVIL SERVANTS FALLS WITHIN THE AUTONOMY OF
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