XN000022-1992-03-23 — Page 10

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MONDAY, MARCH 23, 1992

QUESTION:

GOVERNOR, EARLIER YOU SAID YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE VISITS BY MORE SENIOR CHINESE OFFICIALS TO HONG KONG. CAN YOU TELL US IF YOU'VE EXTENDED THAT INVITATION TO ANY OF THE TOP OFFICIALS IN BEIJING, OR IF YOU INTEND TO DO SO IN FUTURE? IF SO, TO WHOM?

GOVERNOR:

QUITE

IT'S A GENERAL POINT. IN SAYING THAT I DON'T MEAN, NOR WOULD I EXPECT, THE VERY TOP, TOP, TOP, BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S DIFFICULT FOR THEM AND I AM NOT SUGGESTING THAT I THINK THAT MR DENG XIAOPING SHOULD PAY A VISIT HERE, I THINK THAT WOULD BE QUITE DIFFICULT FOR HIM TO DO. WHAT I AM THINKING OF IS PEOPLE MORE AT THE VICE-PREMIER LEVEL, OR PEOPLE IN VARIOUS MINISTRIES WHO HAVE SOME SORT OF DEALINGS WITH HONG KONG AT A SENIOR LEVEL: MINISTERS, VICE- MINISTERS, WE HAVE, OVER THE YEARS, HAD A NUMBER OF THOSE PEOPLE COMING HERE, WE'VE HAD VICE-PREMIERS COMING HERE, WE'VE HAD MR ZHU RONGJI WHEN HE WAS MAYOR OF SHANGHAI, WE'VE HAD VICE-PREMIER TIAN JIYUN, WE'VE HAD OTHERS. THOSE ARE THE SORT OF PEOPLE I WOULD LIKE TO ENCOURAGE TO COME HERE AND SEE THINGS FOR THEMSELVES BUT ALSO HAVE THE SORT OF INFORMAL DISCUSSIONS THAT ONE COULD HAVE IF PEOPLE CAME HERE ON A REGULAR BASIS, SO THAT IT WAS NO SPECIAL EVENT FOR A RELATIVELY SENIOR CHINESE LEADER TO COME HERE, THAT IT WOULDN'T SPLASH ITSELF OVER THE HEADLINES - PEOPLE WOULD FEEL THAT THAT WAS PART OF EVERYDAY LIFE I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GREAT ADVANTAGE. AND THE POINT THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE OF THOSE PEOPLE COME, YES, I HAVE BEEN MAKING THAT POINT TO THE CHINESE.

QUESTION:

-

MEETING

TO THE LEGCO

ZHOU NAN HAD A REACTION TO WHAT HE HOPES WOULD BE THE OUTCOME OF JLG'S LIBERATIONS ON RTHK AND I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT YOU WOULD HOPE THE OUTCOME WOULD BE, AND SECONDLY, THE UD WILL BE WITH YOU TOMORROW TO ASK YOUR CONSENT TO MAKE AMENDMENTS BUDGET. WILL YOU GIVE THAT CONSENT AND DO YOU THINK THAT

IF VOTED DOWN THE BUDGET, THAT IT WOULD BE SEEN AS THE LEGISLATURE URSURPING THE POWERS OF THE EXECUTIVE, AND THIRDLY, LAST ONE, ONE BEJING'S ADVISORS ON HONG KONG AFFAIRS SAID RECENTLY THAT HE THAT CHINA SHOULD HAVE THE RIGHT TO AUDIT HONG KONG'S BOOKS 1997. DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS ON THAT?

OF

BELIEVE BEFORE

/GOVERNOR:

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