2
(3)
(4)
An article quoting extracts from an interview between Wang Ping-nan, the President of the Chinese Association for the Promotion of International Friendship, and a delegation from the Society for Anglo-Chinese Under- standing (SACU) which had been published in the SACU journal CHINA TODAY, These extracts appeared as the lead item in one of the two main communist newspapers, the WEN HUI PAO,on 27 October. A translation also appeared in the English-language weekly edition of the TA KUNG PAO of 1 December. Wang is quoted as telling the delegation that: "In principle, Hong Kong is part of China's territory. It is not a colony: the situation is different. There is a lease to hire Kowloon for 99 years (1898-1997). When will we recover Hong Kong? present.
It is a question for the future not for the
An article in issue No.1 (November) of a new journal, CHENG MING (the title being taken from the slogan "Let a hundred flowers bloom, let a hundred schools of thought contend, cheng-ming"). This article gives a good resume of the Chinese attitude towards Hong Kong (much as we would ourselves write it). However, referring to China's repeated statement that the question of Hong Kong would be resolved when "conditions are ripe", the article concludes that "what is meant by conditions ripening does not seem to refer to the expiry of the New Territories lease". The article also refers to the visit by Hong Kong businessmen to China and quotes Liao Ch'eng-chíh as replying to a question about apprehension over what would happen when the lease expires by saying: "There is no need to be apprehensive. Just be a little more optimistic". (I gather this is a rough translation of a Delphic Cantonese phrase.)
2.
These articles (of which I am enclosing copies of (2) and (4) for you, Research Department and Peking only) are of course in addition to the significant piece by Li Chiang which appeared in the October issue of RED FLAG. Teddy Youde commented on this in a letter of 3 November to the Governor, copied to Donald Murray.
3.
what are we to make of all this? The starting point of most of these stories is the visit to China by the delegation of Hong Kong Chinese businessmen.
the delegation consisted of some 40 prominent Chinese businessmen and trade unionists from both Hong Kong and Macau. They attended the National Day celebrations in Peking and later vere received by and had their photographs taken with Yeh Chien- ying. In addition to being received by Liao Ch'eng-chih, ve know that they were also received by T'ung Hsiao-p'eng, Deputy Director of the United Front Work Department.
THIS IS A COPY
THE ORIGINAL HAS BEEN RETAINED IN THE DEPARTMENT UNDER SECTION 344) OF THE PUBLIC RECORDS ACT 1958
/contd..
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