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FROM: P F Ricketts
Hong Kong Department
DATE: 28 October 1992
cc: Sir John Coles Mr Davies, FED Mr Wye, RAD Mr Morris Mr Bunten
Mr Hum
pa
2910.
HONG KONG: CHINESE PROPAGANDA CAMPAIGN
I attach a copy of a very interesting note from
Leo Goodstat (Head of the Central Policy Unit in Hong Kong).
1.
You will see that this is the report on which the Governor's telegram about the line to be taken by Zhu Rongji was based.
2.
There is some other interesting material in this report. It suggests that:
3.
- (as we suspected) the main Chinese priority will be to intimidate LegCo members into voting against the Governor's package. They are already beginning to dole out some pretty crude threats;
they did not wish to damage Hong Kong's economy and would keep the row confined to the "political arena". But this evidently includes the airport, since they would be prepared to "tear up the MOU";
they seem to be less concerned about a referendum;
they may leave their longer term strategy deliberately vague until after the voting in LegCo.
4.
It is also interesting that the source in question suggests that Lu Ping's instructions for his press conference last week were to speak in an unrestrained manner. This sounds plausible and suggests that the tone of Lu Ping's attack, rather than the precise terms, may be the most significant feature. Certainly, his comments on airspace
were bizarre.
роволок
PF Ricketts
propaganda.PRESS.bern
CONFIDENTIAL
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