105
132572 MDHIAN 5887
UNCLASSIFIED
FM PEKING
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 483
OF 030417Z APRIL 93
UNCLASSIFIED
HICC 01/2
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
6 APR 1993 TOP COPY
DESK OFFICER
INDEX
RODIST?
PA Action Tak
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INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG, UKREP JLG HONG KONG, BTC HONG KONG
APPOINTMENT OF SECOND GROUP OF HK AFFAIRS ADVISERS: LOCAL PRESS COVERAGE
SUMMARY
1.
HIGH PROFILE INAUGURATION CEREMONY FOR THE SECOND GROUP OF HK AFFAIRS ADVISERS ATTENDED BY LI PENG, JIANG ZEMIN AND OTHER LEADERS. LI AND JIANG SPEAK ALONG STANDARD LINES: LI SAYS THAT BRITAIN HAS CLOSED THE DOOR TO NEGOTIATIONS AND CHANGING THIS DEPENDS ON THE BRITISH SIDE'S ATTITUDE. LU PING AND ZHOU NAN PRESENT CERTIFICATES OF APPOINTMENT. LU DEFENDS CHINESE POSITION ON HONG KONG PARTICIPATION IN TALKS AND ACCUSES US OF USING THIS AS AN EXCUSE TO BREAK OFF TALKS: WARNS AGAINST INTRODUCING THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSALS INTO LEGCO.
DETAIL
2.
PEOPLE'S DAILY AND CHINA DAILY (3 APRIL) BOTH GIVE PROMINENT FRONT PAGE COVERAGE TO THE CEREMONY APPOINTING THE SECOND GROUP OF HONG KONG AFFAIRS ADVISERS WHICH TOOK PLACE IN PEKING ON 2 APRIL. THE CEREMONY WAS ATTENDED BY JIANG ZEMIN AND LI PENG. ADDRESSING THE GROUP, JIANG SAID THAT NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENED, CHINA WOULD IMPLEMENT THE POLICY OF ''ONE COUNTRY, TWO SYSTEMS'': THIS GOAL WOULD SURELY BE ATTAINED. ONLY A SHORT TIME WAS LEFT BEFORE CHINA RESUMED THE EXERCISE OF SOVEREIGNTY AND MUCH REMAINED TO BE DONE. THE AUTHORISATION BY THE NPC OF THE APPOINTMENT OF A PREPARATORY WORKING BODY FOR THE HKSAR PREPARATORY COMMITTEE WAS TO ENSURE THAT ALL THE NECESSARY PREPARATIONS WERE MADE. JIANG HOPED THAT THE HK AFFAIRS ADVISERS WOULD MAKE MORE AND BETTER SUGGESTIONS IN THIS REGARD IN THE FUTURE TO HELP BRING ABOUT A SMOOTH TRANSITION, A SMOOTH TRANSFER OF GOVERNMENT AND TO MAINTAIN HONG KONG'S LONG-TERM PROSPERITY AND STABILITY.
3.
LI PENG GAVE THE ADVISERS A BANQUET IN THE GREAT HALL OF THE PEOPLE, ALSO ATTENDED BY ZHU RONGJI, ZOU JIAHUA, QIAN QICHEN, AND LI LANQING. LI PENG SAID THAT THE HONG KONG PROBLEM WAS ONE WHICH
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