UNCLASSIFIED
42477
MDHI
0303
OUTLOOK MAGAZINE
5. THE PRESS CARRIED PROMINENTLY AN ARTICLE IN THE MAY ISSUE OF THE OUTLOOK MAGAZINE CALLING ON THE US CONGRESS TO GIVE DUE CONSIDERATION TO THE INTERESTS OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AND MAKE A SOUND DECISION ON MFN RENEWAL, IN ORDER TO PREVENT A WORSENING OF SINO-US RELATIONS. THE ARTICLE CRITICISED CONGRESSMEN GEORGE
MITCHELL AND NANCY PELOSI FOR TABLING THEIR BILL ON THE MFN
ISSUE: THAT THE CONDITIONS ATTACHED (QUESTIONS RELATED TO CHINESE
POLICIES ON TIBET, HONG KONG, RELIGION, LABOUR REFORM, JUSTICE, FOREIGN TRADE AND ARMS SALES) WERE UNACCEPTABLE AS THEY WERE AN
INFRINGEMENT OF CHINA'S DOMESTIC MATTERS. THE ARTICLE SAID IF THEY INSISTED ON PUSHING THROUGH THE BILL, IT WOULD HARM THE
'SENTIMENTS OF THE CHINESE PEOPLE' AND CHINA WOULD HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO REACT STRONGLY.
CIVIL SERVANTS
6. SING TAO DAILY (9 MAY) QUOTED CHINESE SOURCES AS SAYING THAT
CHINESE POLICY TOWARDS HONG KONG CIVIL SERVANTS HAD NOT CHANGED: THERE WOULD BE NO QUESTION OF REPRISALS AFTER 1997. THE SOURCES SAID THAT CIVIL SERVANTS HAD TO ACT WITHIN THE LAW AND IMPLEMENT
DIRECTIVES FROM THE GOVERNOR BEFORE 1997.
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REMARKS BY NCNA CHONG KONG) OFFICIAL, ZHANG XIANGLIN COUR TELNO 700) CONTINUED TO DRAW NEGATIVE COMMENTS. LEGCO MEMBERS ANDREW WONG AND LAU CHIN-SHEK SAID THAT ZHANG'S COMMENTS WERE INAPPROPRIATE. ANDREW WONG REPEATED HIS SUGGESTION OF POLITICAL APPOINTMENTS FOR PRINCIPAL OFFICIALS SO THAT THEY COULD EXPRESS VIEWS ON CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES. THE PRESS ALSO REPORTED THAT THE PREPARATORY COMMITTEE OF THE LIBERAL PARTY WAS IN FAVOUR OF A MINISTERIAL SYSTEM FOR HONG KONG.
LEFT-WING COMMENTARIES
8. THE ATTACK IN LEFT WING COMMENTARIES ON THE GOVERNOR'S US
VISIT CONTINUED. TA KUNG'S CORRESPONDENT IN US MAINTAINED THAT
THE REAL PURPOSE OF THE VISIT WAS TO RALLY SUPPORT FOR THE CONSTITUTIONAL PACKAGE SO THAT AN 'ANGLO-US ALLIANCE COULD BE FORMED TO PUT PRESSURE ON CHINA. FURTHERMORE, IT WAS AN ATTEMPT BY THE GOVERNOR TO PAVE WAY FOR HIS POLITICAL FUTURE BY BEFRIENDING US POLITICIANS. THE ARTICLE SAID THAT AS US BUSINESSMEN HAD BEEN LOBBYING THE WHITE HOUSE ON UNCONDITIONAL RENEWAL OF THE MFN STATUS, WHATEVER DECISION PRESIDENT CLINTON WOULD TAKE WOULD HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THE GOVERNOR'S LOBBYING
EFFORTS.
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