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FM PEKING
TO IMMEDIATE DTI
TELNO INTRA 160
OF 130848Z DECEMBER 93
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HKD 180/2
1 DEC 1993
? Ми
Whitney's files
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG, BTC HONG KONG, SHANGHAI, FCO
1
OUR TELNO 157 INTRA: MAJOR PROJECTS IN CHINA AND HONG KONG
1.
PA 18012
150600
MDHIAN 6702
670228
The main article on the front page of today's China daily carries remarks about Hong Kong made by Premier Li Peng on Saturday 11 December, at the end of
at the end of a three-day meeting of the Preliminary Work Committee for the Preparatory Committee of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
2.
The article reports that Li accused Britain of termination of the Hong Kong talks and "warned of worsening bilateral cooperation in other areas". He is quoted as saying: "It's hard to predict that the unfriendly and non-cooperative attitude of the British Government will not affect ties between the two countries in other fields".
3.
While these statements are unspecific, and not unexpected at this juncture, they will increase nervousness in British business circles. If no specific instructions are issued by the Chinese Government concerning possible contracts with UK companies, some officials may play safe by postponing decisions until the situation is clearer. Nonetheless we believe the conclusions in para 8 of TUR are still valid until we see hard evidence to the contrary.
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