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11-MAY-1992
16:40
To: Overseas Offices
INFORMATION SERVICES DEPT
+ 852 521 7242
P.01
Date: 9 May, 1992
From: DIS (Lange, OPRS)
Log No: OPRS/L/328
Pages: 1
Weekly Overseas Media Summary
(May 1-7, 1992)
B
Overview
the
Overseas media coverage of HK issues ranged over a number of topics with HKBank takeover, the Patten appointment and aspects of the new airport project all continuing to be reported. But no single issue dominated the headlines.
Political
a new
The Governor-designate received printed advice from several quarters during the US-based week. Noting the UK priority of keeping good relations with China, Business Week said the next Governor would probably be cautious about making any not changes. It noted that the dwindling prospects for democracy in HK had stopped stock prices, real estate and investment reaching new highs. Two letters he should published in the Independent gave conflicting advice to Mr Patten -
to the resist standing up to China (Anthony Teasdale, former special adviser Foreign Secretary) while another reader suggested he should deliver
HK said Mr Declaration of Rights for HK. A Financial Times supplement on Patten's main task was to preside over the peaceful transfer of HK to China. The to be Australian Financial Review also carried an FT story about the problems
aced by Patten. The Sunday Express carried a two-page feature speculating what lengthy interview life will be like for the Patten family and the Times had a lengthy with Lavender Patten. Both the Age and ABC Radio had reports of Martín Lee's visit to Australia and his urging of the Australian government to support HK's push for democracy. In a separate story, the Age and the Canberra Times picked up a Reuter report quoting the SCMP's opinion poll of overwhelming support for the new Governor to push for democracy.
Tsing Ma Bridge Contract/ New Airport
The Times, the Daily Telegraph and the Financial Times carried reports that Anglo-Japanese consortium of Trafalgar House/Mitsui was set to win the contract for the bridge - a decision likely to draw criticism of "favouritism". The DT,
contract were quoting a government source, said leaks about the award of the part of
softening up process to dampen hostility. The Evening Standard, the official reporting the
announcement
UK said it could rebound on
civil engineering firms bidding for other contracts associated with the airport. Under the Times the heading "State to cover cost of overruns of second HK airport”,
also carried a prominent story on the airport financing plan. The plan was
Wall Street reported in the Financial Times, and across the Atlantic in the Journal and Journal of Commerce.
Bank Takeover
Lloyds rival bid for Midland was given extensive coverage in the finance pages of the quality papers during the previous weekend, while a prominent article in the FT outlined the importance of the HKBank to HK and vice versa. The Times said the European competition commissioner was expected to investigate the HSBC bid. The Wall Street Journal said signals from both HSBC and Lloyds suggested the rival bidders would turn their contest into a political showdown, while Daily Telegraph said Gordon Wu (at a seminar organised by GIS (OPRS) had attempted to soothe Chinese fears over the merger.
VMS News
agreement
that Britain and Vietnam were about to sign an repatration of VMs from HK was carried in a number of UK papers. said the agreement was likely to be criticised by the US and organisations, but would be welcomed in HK.
ADB
Speeches by the Governor and FS were picked up in the Journal of the Australian in their prominent coverage of the ADB meeting, Business Breakfast carried an upbeat interview with the FS on the well as other positive reports from HK.
SA
56
on forcible The Guardian
human rights
Commerce and while. BBC-TV HK economy
as
TOTAL
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