TNAG-1173-FCO40-1465-Future-of-Hong-Kong-special-study-by-FCO-for-the-Prime-Minis-1982 — Page 149

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SOLICITY PROPOSALS IT IS CLEAR THAT THE LARGE MAJORITY FAVOUR THE

MAINTENANCE OF THE STATUS QUO. THERE WERE SOME REPORTS THAT

MIDDLE-INCOME FAMILIES WERE CONTEMPLATING EMIGRATION OR MOVING

PART OF THEIR ASSETS OUT OF HONG KONG, AMIDST FEARS THAT CHINA

INTENDS TO TAKE BACK HONG KONG. FEELINGS APPEAR MIXED ON THE

EXTENT TO WHICH THE PM'S VISIT IS EXPECTED TO BRING ABOUT A

POSITIVE ANNOUNCEMENT.

ASSESSMENT

19. ALTHOUGH THE RECURRENT AND CONSISTENT THEME IS THAT THE

GENERAL STATUS QUO SHOULD BE MAINTAINED, MOST RECOGNISE THAT SOME

CHANGE IS INEVITABLE. THE LATTER IS INTERPRETED AS A NEED FOR SOME

GESTURE TO SATISFY CHINA'S POSITION. AS THE OBSERVERS PUT IT, "IT IS CLEAR WHAT THE STATUS QUO IS AND EVERYONE ACCEPTS THAT HONG

KONG IS PART OF CHINA. BUT NO-ONE KNOWS HOW FORMAL BRITISH

RECOGNITION OF CHINESE SOVEREIGNTY WILL TRANSLATE ITSELF IN

PRACTICAL TERMS''

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:

20. APART FROM EXPECTING THAT THEIR VIEWS AND WISHES WILL BE

TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT, THE PUBLIC ALSO URGES AN EARLY ANNOUNCEMENT.

THUS KUNG SHEUNG DAILY THE PEOPLE'S GREATEST CONCERN IS WHEN

THEY CAN EXPECT TO KNOW THEIR FUTURE'' AND ''EVEN A TEMPORARY

SOLUTION IS BETTER THAN NOTHING'' (SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST).

YOUDE

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