CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO TELELETTER FCO
TELELETTER NFR
OF 24050OZ SEPTEMBER 93
CONFIDENTIAL
REC
2014
FROM: M.J.J.HANSON, INFORMATION CO-ORDINATOR.
"Y
FOR: PETER RICKETTS, HONG KONG DEPARTMENT, FCO.
1.
р.1. Пиля
077236
MDTTAN 1512
1740
Done
28
Miny day
For
a
جد
driel
вореча
so upe 29 Sept
ры
昭
THE MINISTER OF STATE HAS AGREED TO SEE C.K.MA AND HERMAN HUI
OF THE ORIENTAL PRESS GROUP AT 9.30 AM ON 30 SEPTEMBER. YOU MIGHT FIND THE FOLLOWING NOTES HELPFUL IN PREPARING THE BRIEF.
2.
THE ORIENTAL PRESS GROUP PUBLISHES HONG KONG'S BIGGEST SELLING DAILY, WEEKLY AND SUNDAY NEWSPAPERS. THE 'ORIENTAL DAILY' SELLS MORE THAN 600,000 COPIES EACH DAY WITH A READERSHIP OF CLOSE TO A MILLION. IT HAS A CIRCULATION LARGER THAN THE COMBINED CIRCULATION OF THE NEXT THREE BEST SELLING PAPERS. 'EASTWEEK' MAGAZINE WAS LAUNCHED LAST OCTOBER AND IS NOW SELLING ABOUT 140,000 COPIES EACH WEEK.
3=
WE HAVE WORKED HARD TO KEEP C.K.MA'S PAPERS OUT OF THE PRC CAMP. WE HAVE SUCCEEDED. C.K.MA HAS NOW DECIDED TO LAUNCH A NEW ENGLISH LANGUAGE DAILY TO CHALLENGE THE SCMP. HE BELIEVES THAT
THE SCMP WILL LOSE ITS TRADITIONAL INDEPENDENCE AND CREDITABILITY
FOLLOWING THE TAKEOVER BY ROBERT KUOK. HIS NEW PAPER WILL BE LAUNCHED BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR WITH AN ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEAM
POACHED FROM THE SCMP.
4. C.K.MA IS THE SON OF MA SHEK-CHUN WHO FLED HONG KONG TO AVOID
ARREST ON DRUGS CHARGES IN 1975. HE WAS ACCUSED OF OPERATING A MAJOR HEROIN TRAFFICKING BUSINESS. HE IS STILL LIVING IN TAIWAN. THERE IS NO EVIDENCE TO CONNECT THE SON (WHO WAS 12 YEARS OLD AT THE TIME OF HIS FATHER'S FLIGHT TO TAIWAN) WITH THE SINS OF THE FATHER.
5.
HERMAN HUI IS MA'S LAWYER AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR. HE DOES MOST
OF THE TALKING FOR MA.
SIGNED:
YYYY
MIKE HANSON.