THURSDAY, JUNE 21, 1984
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UNOFFICIALS LEAVE FOR PEKING
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THE UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATIVE COUNCILS ARE VERY PLEASED THAT THREE OF THEIR SENIOR COLLEAGUES HAVE BEEN INVITED TO VISIT PEKING AND TO MEET WITH CHAIRMAN DENG XIAOPING AND SENIOR CHINESE LEADERS FOR AN EXCHANGE OF VIEWS ABOUT THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG.
THE THREE MEMBERS, SIR S.Y. CHUNG, MISS LYDIA DUNN AND DR Q.W. LEE SAID ON THEIR DEPARTURE AT THE AIRPORT THAT THEY WERE HONOURED TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH CHAIRMAN DENG. THEY EXPECTED TO BE IN PEKING FOR THREE TO FOUR DAYS AND TO MEET. IN ADDITION TO CHAIRMAN DENG, THE DIRECTOR OF HONG KONG AND MACAU AFFAIRS OFFICE, MR JI PENGFEI. THEY SAID THAT THEY WOULD TRUTHFULLY AND FAITHFULLY REFLECT THE VIEWS, WISHES AND ANXIETIES OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG, AND THEY SINCERELY HOPED TO BE ABLE TO MAKE A CONTRIBUTION TOWARDS A SATISFACTORY RESOLUTION OF THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG TO THE BENEFIT OF CHINA, BRITAIN, AND THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG.
A GROUP OF UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS OF THE EXCO AND LEGCO VISITED LONDON IN MAY WHERE THEY MET THE PRIME MINISTER, MRS MARGARET THATCHER. MINISTERS AND MEMBERS OF BOTH THE HOUSE OF COMMONS AND THE HOUSE OF LORDS AND REFLECTED THE VIEWS OF HONG KONG PEOPLE ON THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG.
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SIR S.Y. MISS DUNN AND DR LEE SAID THE PURPOSE OF THE PEKING VISIT WAS TO MAKE KNOWN THE FEELINGS OF THE HONG KONG PEOPLE, AS KNOWN PRIOR TO THE LONDON TRIP AND AS EXPRESSED SINCE, TO THE MOST SENIOR OFFICIALS IN CHINA.
ON THEIR RETURN TO HONG KONG THEY HOPED TO BE ABLE TO RELATE THE RESULTS OF THEIR VISIT TO THE PUBLIC.
THE THREE MEMBERS WERE SEEN OFF AT KAI TAK BY 23 UMELCO MEMBERS.
ALSO AT THE AIRPORT TO FAREWELL THEM WAS MR HAN LI, DEPUTY EDITOR-IN-CHIEF OF XINHUA NEWS AGENCY (HONG KONG BRANCH)
IN ANSWER TO PRESS QUESTIONS, A SPOKESMAN FOR THE UMELCO OFFICE TODAY SAID THE THREE UNOFFICIALS WHO LEFT FOR DISCUSSIONS IN PEKING ON THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG WERE PAYING THEIR OWN EXPENSES.
HE SAID, THEY ARE PAYING THE COST OF THEIR VISIT TO CHINA THEMSELVES.+