CONFIDENTIAL
Community Issues
4. The programme includes the now customary community lunch (Brief No 4) as well as a visit to Tsuen Wan District. In this way the Minister will be able to gauge the mood of the community both at working and grass-roots
levels. The lunch hosted by acting SBTC will provide a perspective from the business community, and an opportunity for the Minister to stiffen sinews if necessary.
Environmental Matters
5. The meeting with the Secretary for Planning,
Environment and Lands (Brief No 3) together with the boat trip across the harbour will be the main focus on
environmental matters.
Relations with China
6.
Relations with China over Hong Kong continue to be dominated by the row over the proposals for the arrangements for the 1994/95 elections. But there have been recent signs of improving Chinese co-operation on a range of issues. The Land Commission meeting cancelled in early April was later reinstated, and the land disposal programme agreed. In early May the Chinese suggested dates for three sets of JLG expert talks and agreed to hold JLG XXVI in June. They have agreed some uncontroversial contracts and franchises which they had been blocking. Additionally, they have resumed Civil Service exchange visits broken off late last year, and are showing signs of co-operation on the new airport financing proposal.
7.
One reason why the Chinese have decided to resume some
limited co-operation now must be the climax of the MFN-renewal debate in the USA in early June, another factor may be public opinion in Hong Kong (the Chinese may not wish to be seen to be damaging Hong Kong through their lack of cooperation). Chinese co-operation may also be a carrot
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CONFIDENTIAL