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150337 MDHIAN`2364 *
APPOINTMENT GENERALLY TAKING THE LINE THAT THE NEW GOVERNOR SHOULD DEAL WITH HK-CHINA PROBLEMS ON THE BASIS OF THE JOINT DECLARATION AND THE BASIC LAW AND HELP LAY THE FOUNDATION FOR GOOD SINO-BRITISH RELATIONS IN THE FUTURE. A COLUMN IN WEN WEI PO (27 APRIL) SAID MR PATTEN HAD THE ADVANTAGE OF BEING A POLITICAL
AND HAD CLOSE CONNECTIONS WITH THE PRIME MINISTER AND FOREIGN SECRETARY. THIS COULD HELP HIM RESOLVE MAJOR ISSUES PROMPTLY. HIS FAMILIARITY WITH CONSERVATIVE PARTY AFFAIRS WOULD ENHANCE HIS INFLUENCE. BUT WE HAD TO WAIT AND SEE IF HE WOULD FIGHT FOR HONG KONG'S INTERESTS, THE AUTHOR SAID. AN ARTICLE IN TA KUNG PO (27 APRIL), NOTING THAT ENGLISH PAPERS HAD CALLED ON MR PATTEN TO ADOPT A HARD LINE TOWARDS CHINA, SAID THAT MR PATTEN WOULD DO WELL TO UNDERSTAND THAT SUCCESS TO THE HK QUESTION LAY IN MUTUAL
CO-OPERATION WITH THE CHINESE ON THE BASIS OF THE JOINT DECLARATION.
5. A COLUMN IN WEN WEI PO ON 28 APRIL NOTED THAT IT WAS THE
GENERAL WISH OF THE HK PEOPLE THAT MR PATTEN WOULD HAVE REGARD FOR THEIR INTERESTS AND TACKLE SINO-BRITISH RELATIONS PROPERLY, SO THAT THERE WOULD BE A SMOOTH TRANSITION. ON 29 APRIL, THE WEN WEI PO RAN AN ARTICLE COMMENDING MR PATTEN FOR PLEDGING HIMSELF TO DEFEND HK'S INTERESTS, SAYING THAT IT WAS A WISE GESTURE. HOWEVER, THE AUTHOR SAID WE NEED TO WAIT AND SEE.
6. AS REPORTED IN TELNO 1177 THREE PRO-CHINA PAPERS CARRIED
CRITICAL COMMENTARY ON 30 APRIL. THE THEME WAS HONG KONG PEOPLE COULD NOT DEPEND ON THE BRITISH TO DEFEND THEIR INTERESTS. THE SAME THEME APPEARED IN A COLUMN IN TODAY'S WEN WEI PO SAYING THAT IN THE LONG TERM, HONG KONG PEOPLE MUST NOT ONLY COUNT ON THE GOVERNOR FOR BETTER SINO-HK RELATIONS BUT TO RELY ON THEMSELVES TO ACHIEVE THIS GOAL.
REACTION
7. REACTION FROM THOSE WHO ARE CLOSE TO THE CHINESE HAS BEEN FAVOURABLE, ADOPTING A SIMILAR ATTITUDE AS THE REST OF THE COMMUNITY. THOSE WHO HAVE MADE COMMENTS TO THE PRESS INCLUDE THE FEDERATION OF TRADE UNIONS, A FEW ADVISERS ON HONG KONG AFFAIRS, TAM YIU-CHUNG AND PHILIP WONG (LEGCO MEMBERS). THEIR THEME WAS THE APPOINTMENT SIGNIFIED THE WEIGHT THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT ATTACHED TO RELATIONS WITH CHINA, WHICH SHOULD BENEFIT HONG KONG. THESE PEOPLE HAVE TENDED TO ADOPT A RELATIVELY LOW PROFILE AS COMPARED TO OTHER COMMUNITY LEADERS AND PEOPLE IN THE POLITICAL ARENA. IT IS WORTH NOTING THAT THE ENTIRE QUOTE CHINA CAMP UNQUOTE IN HONG KONG HAVE BEEN CAUTIOUS IN WHAT THEY SAY IN
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