CONFIDENTIAL
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Chinese had said anything about "studying other solutions". Rear Admiral Almeida e Costa added that Portugal had no strong material ties with Macau, and derived no advantages from it.
4.
The Portuguese Consul-General asked whether the experience of the Falklands conflict was likely to influence the Prime Minister's approach to her discussions about Hong Kong in Peking. HE replied that no useful parallels could be drawn between the Hong Kong and Falklands situations: they were entirely different at every point. The Hong Kong problem would be dealt with in its own context.
SEZ's
5.
HE referred to his recent visit to Shenzhen. He had been impressed by what had been achieved in a short time. Most investment was from Hong Kong, whose businessmen were attracted by low rents and land costs and cheaper labour, though many saw a duty to assist China by investing in Shenzhen. Rear Admiral Almeida e Costa remarked that investors in Zhuhai complained about low productivity, high rents, and lack of understanding of the laws of a market economy among the authorities.
Far East Economic Review Interview
6.
Asked about the interview which appeared in the FEER for 30 July to 5 August Rear Admiral Almeida e Costa said that he had been approached by the Review for an interview in connection with a cover article which was being planned for October/November. He had spent four hours with the Review's reporters Mary Lee and David Bonavia, covering a very wide range of topics. The remarks about the future had been abstracted from that interview; many of them had been taken out of context or otherwise distorted.
7.
The meeting ended at 6.00 pm.
Political Adviser's Office
Hong Kong
17 September 1982
CC HE
CS
SHA
DPA
PS/GH
HKGD, FCO
FED, FCO
Chancery, Peking
CONFIDENTIAL
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