HONG KONG PREST REVICO
28 APRIL
4 MAY 1976
44
HONG KONG'S FUTURE
A Valted States Dengrossman, Mr. Lester Wolfi, was reported by a news agency as saying that China hud indicated it vanted to regain control of Hong Kong whon the lease was up. The report was prominently covered by the popuro on April 27 and 20.
Mr. Wolff, who returned recently ta Washington from a visit to China, quoted unnamed Chinese officials us saying that "when the lease is up, Hong Kong ohud again will be part of China."
The statumant prompted 20 editorials in the Chinese pepars during the week, all of which belioved the position of Hong Kong would remain unchanged.
Several papers felt that ML. Wolfs matollunt was unfounded because a Chinese officia! would not speak of the New Territories lease which the Chinese Goturnment had never recliy reseguited.
HONG KONG ECONOMIC JOURNAL (28.4.76) described Mr. Wolff's statement as unreliable since Chinese officials were not likely to mention the New Territories' lease which they had never really recognised.
“China in fact controls Hong Kong financially and politically, and its 'cultural infiltration'here is on the increase,” it said.
“The remarks reflect Mr. Wolff's ignorance of Hong Kong's problems and a lack of know- ledge of China's intentions towards Hong Kong." The paper said even if China wanted to take back Hong Kong at some future date, it would do so through peaceful negotiation and not by military action.
“China will negotiate with Britain at a suitable time on how to regain Hong Kong under circumstances which will not be detrimental to the best interests of both parties," it said.
ORIENTAL DAILY (28.4.76) said that the question of resumption would not arise for another 20 years, and the people of Hong Kong need not be unduly-concerned at present.
"We can see from Hong Kong's own development projects, from the active foreign investment and the confidence of overseas investors that Hong Kong is a city with a bright future.
"Our main concern should be the improve. ment of law and order.”
HONG KONG DAILY NEWS devoted two editorials to the subject (28. and 30.4.76).
In its first editorial the paper said that the lease concerned only, land in the New Territories and would not affect Hong Kong.
The paper also predicted that in 21 years' time China would either have conquered the Soviet Union, disappeared from the world map or have maintained its status quo. It said that none of these developments would have any effect on Hong Kong,
"Actually," the paper said, “China has no intention of taking back Hong Kong. There is no ‘lease' on Macau, but we think China will not take Macau back even if Portugal offers to hand it back."
KUNG SHEUNG DAILY NEWS (30.4.76) said that Hong Kong's position would remain secure despite political upheavals in China.
It added: "Britain is China's closest and most useful ally in its dispute with the Soviet Union. Therefore we feel China would not destroy this friendship and make a new enemy for itself"
The EXPRESS (30.4.76) said that even if China wanted to claim back territory in 1997 in accordance with past treaties, it could only regain the New Territories, because Hong Kong Island itself had been ceded to Britain and had nothing to do with the lease.
The paper pointed out that we could not foresee what would happen in 20 years' time, and that there was no point in making pessimistic predictions now.
The EXPRESS in a second editorial (1.5.76) said that Hong Kong was a vantage point from which China could communicate with the West and launch her campaign to wil. the
support of overseas Chinese; China would not want to change this situation for the time being.
"So we should not worry about Hong Kong 'changing hands'," the paper said, "but rather we should worry about the internal problems that are threatening the prosperity and stability of Hong Kong.'
The EXPRESS went on to discuss the issue in a third editorial (4.5.76).
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