SECRET
- 2
4.
The next poll on public support for the Governor's proposals will be this coming weekend. The general expectation was that support would be seen to have slipped, with a sharper slip for going ahead in the face of Chinese opposition than for the Governor's proposals generally.
Early takeover
5.
It was agreed that an early takeover remained unlikely. The only reports that the Chinese would contemplate this were in the context of holding a referendum. Tony Galsworthy thought that going for 100 per cent direct elections might fall into the same category.
Cross-Border trade, food and water supplies
6.
It was generally agreed that the likelihood of the Chinese disrupting cross-border trade, or food or water supplies was unlikely because this would be seen as targetting the Hong Kong people rather than the HKG. It was noted that Hong Kong now only obtains 20 per cent of its food from China.
Threats
7.
It was agreed that if there are threats about the personal safety post-1997 for a Legco member and/or his family, he or she should be considered under the sensitive service category of the British Nationality Scheme.
8.
Insofar as civil servants were concerned, it was agreed that the Governor and senior officials should step up their meetings with them to reassure them. A programme for this is already underway. The Governor had a meeting with Civil Service Trades Unions yesterday. It was noted that not only were a number of civil servants at Deputy Secretary level being targetted by close associates of the Chinese, but that the morale of others was also being eroded by ex civil servants such as Sir David Akers-Jones who kept in close touch with many of them and continually criticised the Governor's proposals.
Illegal Immigrants
9.
The Secretary for Security said that although Shek Kong would close as a Vietnamese Detention Centre in January, work to remove the huts on the runway was not due to start until April. The situation will be kept under review by Alistair Asprey personally. No contingency work by others will be commissioned lest it became known and encourage the Chinese to do just what we do not want.
SECRET
38