UNCLASSIFIED
114144
MDLIAN &
BRITISH SIDE TO RETURN TO THE TRACK OF FULLY IMPLEMENTING THE VARIOUS AGREEMENTS AND UNDERSTANDINGS BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES.
HONG KONG STANDARD:
3. IN A RELATED DEVELOPMENT, HONG KONG STANDARD (28 NOVEMBER) REPORTED ON POSSIBLE CHINESE MOTIVE BEHIND THEIR REACTION TO THE CT9 CONTRACT. IT QUOTED A 'WELL-PLACED CHINESE SOURCE' AS SAYING THE (CHINESE) DECISION ON CT9 WAS PURELY POLITICAL AND IRRATIONAL. IT WAS JUST A GESTURE TO SHOW TO HKG HOW SERIOUS THE CONSEQUENCES COULD BE IF BRITAIN HAD A BAD RELATIONSHIP WITH
CHINA.
L =
THE SOURCE SAID THAT THE CHINESE SIDE DID NOT OPPOSE TO BUILDING CTO: BUT FELT CHEATED OVER THE GOVERNOR'S CONSTITUTIONAL PROPOSALS SINCE THE TWO SIDES HAD REACHED A CERTAIN DEGREE OF UNDERSTANDING ON THE MATTER. THE SOURCE ADDED THAT QUOTE THAT IS THE BEGINNING OF THE BAD RELATIONSHIP WHICH IS BEGINNING TO AFFECT OTHER THINGS. ANYWAY CHINA WILL JUST DO IT NO MATTER WHAT PEOPLE MAY SAY. AS LONG AS IT CAN BRING BRITAIN BACK TO THE NEGOTIATION TABLE ON THE BASIS OF THE JD, CHINA WILL RISK EVERYTHING. UNQUOTE.
FORD
YYYY
MAIN
.HK POLICY
HKD
PUSD
63
DISTRIBUTION
72
PLANNERS
RAD
PS
FED
LEGAL ADVISERS//MS BARRETT
.AND MS BROOKS
NEWS D
PS/MR GOODLAD
SIR J COLES
MR APPLEYARD
MR HUM
ADDITIONAL
9
CAOFF//SIR R BRAITHWAITE
CAOFF //MISS NEVILLE-JONES CAOFF //MR SIBSON
PAGE
CAOFF//MS D CORNER
2 CAOFF //MR CHARLTON
UNCLASSIFIED PS/PM
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