UNCLASSIFIED
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 1142
UNCLASSIFIED
HKB 301/2
RECERED IN EGISTRY
16 JUL 1993
p.a. Press Ronadays
053622
MDHIAN 8647
61
DESK OFFICER
INDEX
PA
REGISTRY
Action Taken
TOP COPY Q DIST?
OF 131205Z JULY 93
INFO PRIORITY PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT: PRESS REPORTS (13 JULY 1993)
WESTERN HARBOUR CROSSING
THE PAPERS REPORTED IN GOOD COVERAGE THE REMARKS MADE BY FS YESTERDAY THAT IF THE WHC BILL WERE NOT PASSED BEFORE THE LEGCO RECESS, THE PROGRESS OF ACP PROJECTS WOULD BE DELAYED AND INVESTORS' CONFIDENCE AFFECTED. THE GOVERNOR WAS ALSO QUOTED AS SAYING THAT PRIVATE SECTOR'S INVESTMENT IN OTHER INFRASTRUCTURAL PROJECTS MIGHT ALSO BE AFFECTED IF LEGCO DID NOT SUPPORT THE WHC
BILL.
2. THE VISITING HKMAO VICE-DIRECTOR WANG QIREN REPEATED ON 12.7.93 THAT THE SINO-BRITISH AGREEMENT ON THE WHO SHOULD BE RESPECTED AND FULLY IMPLEMENTED. WANG WAS QUOTED AS SAYING THAT THE CHINESE SIDE RECOGNISED THAT THE WHO WAS AN IMPORTANT ELEMENT IN THE OVERALL ACP AND HAD THEREFORE AGREED TO IT TO ENSURE THAT HK'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WOULD NOT BE ADVERSELY AFFECTED. WANG WAS ALSO REPORTED TO BE OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE OUTCOME OF DISCUSSIONS ON THE AIRPORT FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS BUT STRESSED THAT THIS SHOULD BE RESOLVED IN THE SPIRIT OF THE THREE CONFORMITIES.
3. COMMENTARIES IN THE LEFT-WING PRESS ECHOED THE REMARKS MADE BY WANG QIREN ON THE WHC, URGING THAT THE SINO-BRITISH AGREEMENT SHOULD BE ADHERED TO. NEW EVENING POST CRITICISED LEGCO FOR POLITICISING THE ISSUE, WITH THE AIM OF THWARTING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF SINO-BRITISH AGREEMENTS AT THE EXPENSE OF HK'S PROSPERITY. WEN WEI PO SAID THAT ANY CHANGE IN THE EXECUTIVE-LED GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE AS STIPULATED IN THE JD AND THE BL WOULD ADVERSELY AFFECT THE INVESTMENT CLIMATE IN HK.
TALKS
4. QUOTING CHINESE SOURCES, THE HK ECONOMIC TIMES REPORTED THAT CHINA WERE PREPARED TO ACCEPT VOTING BY COMPANY DIRECTORS INSTEAD OF CORPORATE VOTING IN SOME EXISTING FCS, BUT THE CHINESE SIDE WERE
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