GPS 260
RESHRICHED
FM HONG KONG 030744Z FEB 83
TO PRIORITY F C O
RESTRICTED
TELEGRAM NUMBER 179 OF 3 FEBRUARY
INFO PRIORITY PEKING
INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON
- HKK 040/1
TOP COPY
MY TELNO 163 : FUTURE OF HONG KONG: PRESS COVERAGE
8 FEB 1983
THE COMMUNIST TA KUNG PAO HAS REPRINTED WHAT APPEARS TO BE THE FULL TEXT OF THE ''CONTEMPORARY HISTORY RESEARCH'' ARTICLE IN ITS 2 AND 3 FEBRUARY EDITIONS. (TEXT AND TRANSLATION FOLLOW BY BAG). THE ARTICLE, THE EXTENSIVE COMMENT ON IT IN THE HONG KONG COMMUNIST PRESS, AND ITS REPRINTING IN FULL ARE CLEARLY INTENDED TO UNDERLINE THE MESSAGE THAT NO SELF-RESPECTING CHINESE COULD TOLERATE ARRANGEMENTS WHICH IN ANY WAY PERPETUATED THE TREATIES.
2. AN EDITORIAL IN THE FINANCIAL TIMES ON 2 FEBRUARY (''THE REALITIES OF HONG KONG) HAS ATTRACTED SOME ATTENTION HERE. THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND INDEPENDENT CHINESE LANGUAGE NEWSPAPERS REPORTED A REUTERS SUMMARY. THE COMMUNIST WEN WEI PO AND THE INDEPENDENT FINANCIAL DAILY PUBLISHED EDITORIAL COMMENT ON 3 FEBRUARY. THE WEN WEI PO EDITORIAL, QUOTING SELECTIVELY FROM THE FINANCIAL TIMES ARTICLE, DESCRIBED IT AS SHARP AND CORRECT. THE MAINTENANCE OF THE STATUS QUO MEANT PRESERVING PROSPERITY THROUGH MAINTAINING THE EXISTING SYSTEM IN HONG KONG RATHER THAN BY EXTENDING BRITISH RULE. NOTHING COULD STOP CHINA FROM REGAINING SOVEREIGNTY OVER HONG KONG IN 1997. ON THE PREMISE OF RECOVERING SOVEREIGNTY, CHINA WOULD BE WILLING TO COOPERATE WITH ALL PARTIES TO PRESERVE HONG KONG'S PROSPERITY AND TO SHARE THE BENEFITS.
3. THE FINANCIAL DAILY AGREED THAT SOVEREIGNTY OVER HONG KONG BELONGED TO CHINA, BUT SAID THAT IN ORDER TO COME TO A COMPROMISE, BRITAIN SHOULD CONCENTRATE ON REFLECTING THE WISHES OF LOCAL PEOPLE IN THE NEGOTIATIONS AND THE CHINESE SIDE SHOULD STOP REFERRING TO IMPERIALIST OPPRESSION BECAUSE THIS PERPETUATED THE DEADLOCK.
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THIS TELEGRAM WAS NOT ADVANCED
HD/PLANNING STAFF
FUTURE OF HONG KONG
LIMITED
HD! HKG D
HD/YED
HD/PUSD
PS
PS/LORD BELSTEAD
PS/PUS
MR GIFFARD
MR DONALD
COPIES TO
SIRJ BULLARD
PSİMR HURD
SIR I SINCLAIR
MR ROBERTS
LEGAL ADVISER
NEWS D
MR COLES NO 10 DOWNING STREET
MR MARTIN ASSESSMENTS STAFF
CABINET OFFICE
HONG KONG GOVT OFFICE LONDON
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