TNAG-1173-FCO40-1465-Future-of-Hong-Kong-special-study-by-FCO-for-the-Prime-Minis-1982 — Page 145

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FM HONG KONG 2702032.AUG 82

TO PRIORITY F C O

TELEGRAN NUMBER 944 OF 27 AUGUST

INFO PRIORITY PEKING

YOUR TELNO 634 : CONSULTATION ON FUTURE OF HONG KONG

THE FOLLOWING SOURCES ARE AVAILABLE:

A) PRESS COMMENT ON PUBLIC OPINION,

B) SURVEYS OF PUBLIC OPINION,

C) PRESS COMMENT ON PERCEIVED CHINESE VIEWS,

P) PUBLIC COMMENT AT DISTRICT OFFICE LEVEL.

2. NO SINGLE PREFERRED SOLUTION FOR THE FUTURE EMERGES FROM THESE SOURCES, ALTHOUGH THERE ARE A NUMBER OF CONSISTENT THEMES:

A) A GENERAL WISH FOR THE STATUS QUO TO CONTINUE, BUT RESIGNATION TO THE IDEA THAT SOME CHANGE MUST COME EVENTUALLY,

B) RECOGNITION (OFTEN TAKEN AS SELF-EVIDENT) THAT HONG KONG IS A PART OF CHINA AND THUS A DISINCLINATION TO CONTEST THE VALIDITY OF CHINA'S CLAIM TO ULTIMATE SOVEREIGNTY,

C) NOTHING SHOULD HAPPEN TO UPSET HONG KONG'S STABILITY AND

PROSPERITY,

D) A DESIRE FOR EARLY DISCUSSION AND DECISION ON ARRANGEMENTS FOR

THE FUTURE, AND

E) THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG SHOULD BE CONSULTED ABOUT THEIR

FUTURE.

PRESS COMMENT

THE

3. THE HK STANDARD HAS STATED A WIDELY ACCEPTED VIEW THAT VAST MAJORITY OF US CHERISH OUR CHINESE ROOTS**. THE STRENGTH OF CHINA'S BASIC POSITION HAS BEEN REFLECTED IN AND BROADLY ACCEPTED BY THE LOCAL PRESS. AS MING PAO COMMENTED ON 3 AUGUST, HK AND MACAU WILL EVENTUALLY BE HANDED BACK TO CHINA. THE EXPRESS (2 AUGUST )SAID THE PEOPLE OF BRITAIN AND HK MUST FACE REALITY. THEY MUST NOT OBJECT TO CHINA'S RESTORATION OF SOVEREIGNTY IN NAME ONLY, PROVIDED THAT CHINA WILL NOT INTERFERE WITH THE POLITICAL, ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL ACTIVITIES IN HK AND THAT EVERYTHING WILL GO ON AS USUAL'. THE FINANCIAL DAILY ALSO CONSIDERED THE FEASIBILITY OF BRITAIN'S RECOGNISING CHINA'S CLAIMS TO SOVEREIGNTY, BUT AGREEING TO CONTINUE TO ADMINISTER HONG KONG. IT CONCLUDED, HOWEVER, THAT CHINA'S 'RESTORATION'' OF SOVEREIGNTY WOULD SO ALTER HONG KONG'S RELATIVE POLITICAL, ECONOMIC AND LEGAL INDEPENDENCE'' THAT SUCH A SOLUTION WOULD FAIL TO ENSURE THE MAINTENANCE OF STABILITY AND PROSPERITY.

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