4
Jiang
without it Hong Kong would become a "dead port".
added that he was optimistic over Hong Kong's prospects.
(WWP 25 March 1993).
A14.
Lu Ping reportedly told Hong Kong Affairs Advisers that if the British side introduced the reform bill into
LegCo, it would not only be locking the door to talks but also throwing away the key (HK press 3 April 1993).
Ais.
Lu Ping said that if an agreement was reached in
the talks in line with the Basic Law there would be no need
to set up another kitchen in 1997 (CNS 20 April 1993).
A16.
Lu Ping on 23 April 1993 told a delegation of the
Business and Professional Federation that he believed Hong Kong's stability and prosperity could be maintained
whaterer the outcome of the current talks. He added that
if both sides were able to reach agreement on the 1994-95
elections it would help resolve other issues (HK press 24
April 1993).
A17.
According to the Mirror monthly (5 May 1993), Deng
Xiaoping had instructed that on the question of human
rights China could be "soft", on the questions of arms
sales and Taiwan it could be tough or soft, but on Hong
Kong it must be tough.
A18.
Lu Ping told reporters in Macau that Hong Kong
should not become a political centre, still less an
"international political centre". He added that if it were
to become an arena for various international political
forces, this could bring disaster to its people;
internationalisation of the Hong Kong question would cause misfortune to the territory (WWP 14 May 1993).