XN000022-1986-07-16 — Page 16

WEDNESDAY, JULY 16, 1986

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CHINA SHOULD CONSIDER HK RESIDENTS' CONCERN

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HONG KONG RESIDENTS' DEEP CONCERN AND FEARS OVER THE DAYA BAY NUCLEAR PROJECT HAVE TO BE CAREFULLY WEIGHED AND ASSESSED BY THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT, THE HON HILTON CHEONG-LEEN SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

+ THE MAGNITUDE OF THE POLITICAL RISKS WILL NEED CAREFUL EXAMINATION, HE SAID DURING THE ADJOURNMENT DEBATE ON THE SUBJECT.

THE QUESTIONS FACING CHINA, HE SAID, WAS WHETHER OR NOT TO PROCEED WITH THE SIGNING OF THE CONTRACTS FOR THE PROJECT AND TO WHAT EXTENT SUCH A DECISION WOULD BE LINKED WITH THE POST-1997 STABILITY AND PROSPERITY OF HONG KONG, AS WELL AS THE GENERAL CONFIDENCE OF LOCAL RESIDENTS.

HE ARGUED THAT THE IMPENDING SIGNING OF THE VARIOUS CONTRACTS WOULD HAVE GENERATED OVERWHELMINGLY MUCH MORE SUPPORT THAN OPPOSITION IN HONG KONG, HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR THE CHERNOBYL ACCIDENT.

BECAUSE OF CHERNOBYL, THERE WAS CONSIDERABLE CONCERN AND STRONG DISSIDENCE AT THE PROSPECTS OF HAVING A NUCLEAR POWER PLANT AT DAYA BAY, HE SAID.

MR CHEONG-LEEN SAID A GREAT MANY RESIDENTS WERE NOT CONCERNED ABOUT THE ECONOMICS OF THE PROJECT - EVEN THOUGH IN TERMS OF PUBLIC FINANCE THIS WAS AN IMPORTANT FACTOR.

WHAT MANY RESIDENTS WERE SAYING, HE SAID, WAS THAT NO NUCLEAR POWER PLANT WAS AS YET FAIL-SAFE, WHETHER IT WAS OF THE CHERNOBYL RBMIC TYPE OR THE FRENCH PWR TYPE WHICH HAD BEEN SELECTED FOR DAYA BAY.

+ THE WIDESPREAD FEAR OF NUCLEAR RADIATION FALL-OUT IN CASE OF ANY NUCLEAR POWER ACCIDENT WITH ATTENDANT GENETIC CONSEQUENCES TO HUMAN LIFE IS TODAY VERY MUCH A FACT OF LIFE IN HONG KONG,+ HE SAID.

+THE POLITICAL FACTOR OF POST-1997 HONG KONG MAY WELL BE COMPOUNDED BY THE POSSIBILITY OF THE NUCLEAR RADIATION FACTOR, HE ADDED.

MR CHEONG-LEEN NOTED THAT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL HAD IN THE PAST FEW MONTHS BEEN SEEKING TO LEARN AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE ABOUT THE DAYA BAY PROJECT, AND HE WAS CONVINCED THAT THE COUNCIL'S DECISION TO SEND TWO FACT-FINDING DELEGATIONS OVERSEAS WAS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE COMMUNITY.

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