XN000022-1985-12-02 — Page 2

MONDAY, DECEMBER 2, 1985

JI'S VISIT VALUABLE, GOVERNOR SAYS

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THE GOVERNOR, SIR EDWARD YOUDE, SAID THIS (MONDAY) MORNING THAT IT WOULD BE VERY VALUABLE FOR MR JI PENGFEI, STATE COUNCILLOR AND DIRECTOR OF THE HONG KONG AND MACAU AFFAIRS OFFICE OF THE STATE COUNCIL, TO SEE AT FIRST HAND THE DEVELOPMENTS THAT HAD TAKEN PLACE IN HONG KONG AND FOR HIM TO MEET AS WIDE A RANGE OF PEOPLE IN HONG KONG AS POSSIBLE.

SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AFTER OFFICIATING AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF POLMET '85, SIR EDWARD SAID HE WAS LOOKING FORWARD VERY MUCH TO MEETING MR JI IN HONG KONG.

+A LOT HAS HAPPENED IN HONG KONG IN RECENT YEARS, AND I'M SURE IT WILL BE VALUABLE FOR HIM TO SEE IT AT FIRST HAND,+ HE SAID,

ASKED WHAT THE MOTIVE BEHIND SENDING THE INVITATION TO

MR JI WAS, SIR EDWARD POINTED OUT THAT HE HAD MADE IT EVIDENT FOR SOME TIME THAT HONG KONG WOULD WELCOME CHINESE LEADERS COMING HERE TO SEE FOR THEMSELVES.

+THE MOTIVE IS REALLY TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE IN PEKING TO SEE HONG KONG AT FIRST HAND AND FOR THERE TO BE

A GREATER UNDERSTANDING ON BOTH SIDES OF WHAT IS HAPPENING AT EACH END.+

ASKED WHETHER HE WOULD REJECT A STATEMENT THAT THE INVITATION TO MR JI WAS NOT RELATED TO THE +POLITICAL DISPUTE+ IN HONG KONG, SIR EDWARD SAID: IT IS RELATED TO THE NEED AND THE WISH THAT PEOPLE FROM BOTH SIDES SHOULD UNDERSTAND EACH OTHER.

+FOR SOME TIME NOW, WE'VE MADE IT CLEAR THAT CHINESE LEADERS WOULD BE WELCOME IN HONG KONG AND I'M VERY VERY GLAD THAT MR JI HAS TAKEN UP MY INVITATION, HE SAID.

ON WHETHER MR JI WOULD ATTEND A LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL MEETING OR HOLD ANY DISCUSSION WITH SENIOR GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, HE SAID +WE HAVEN'T DISCUSSED YET THE DETAILS OF HIS PROGRAMME.

+BUT CERTAINLY I SHALL BE HAVING HIM AT GOVERNMENT HOUSE. OBVIOUSLY HE IS COMING AS AN OFFICIAL GUEST SO I SHALL BE HAVING HIM AT GOVERNMENT HOUSE.

+BUT THE DETAILS OF THE PROGRAMME WILL BE ANNOUNCED LATER,+ HE SAID.

ON WHETHER THERE WAS SOME MISUNDERSTANDING BETWEEN THE CHINESE AND HONG KONG GOVERNMENTS OVER THE ISSUE OF POLITICAL CHANGES IN HONG KONG, SIR EDWARD SAID: IF THERE IS ANY MISUNDERSTANDING. I'M SURE THAT EXCHANGES OF VIEWS CAN HELP TO ENSURE THAT IT IS REMOVED.+

/ASKED TO