UNCLASSIFIED
Preparatory Committee
6 May
PLA
6 May
NPC Vice Chairman Wang Hanbin quoted in 7 May press as saying that the prelimininary work organ for the SAR Preparatory Committee would have a significant proportion of Hong Kong membership so that views from Hong Kong could be fully taken into account; he felt that the number should be half. Hong Kong telno 700
SCMP quotes Chinese sources: "During the drafting of the Basic Law, the concensus was that SAR troops would be segregated from the urban areas" "if they were to leave the barracks, they would not be wearing military uniforms.
International Centre
14 May
16 May
Airport
5 May
6 May
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Lu Ping quoted as saying that the value of Hong Kong lay in its economic worth. Hong Kong should maintain its status as an international financial, trade and shipping centre. But it should not under any circumstances become a political centre, let alone an international political centre. Hong Kong telno 754
Zhang Junsheng, Deputy director of NCNA Hong Kong, said that China would not allow foreign forces to meddle in Hong Kong issues, and bringing foreign political forces to Hong kong would only damage its stability and prosperity. Internationalisation and being an international city were different things. Hong Kong telno 766.
Chinese member of the Airport Committee, Chen Keqiang, expressed the hope that the British side would take the initiative and put forward a financing package consistent with the MOU. The Chinese would consider positively if the British made a proposal consistent withe spirit of the MOU.
and
Chen Zou'er of the State Council Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office quoted as telling the ADPL that the new proposal on financing arrangements would be acceptable if it aimed at reduced borrowings increasing government injection. As the Land Fund would become part of the SAR's fiscal reserves, it should be used prudently. The Chinese did not think that the land Fund should be injected into the new airport project, but could consider using part of the Land fund as a loan to the PAA. Hong Kong telno 695
UNCLASSIFIED