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on the Chinese side. He had said that ZHANG Wenjin's replacement as Vice-Foreign Minister, YAO Guang, did not seem very flexible. The new Foreign Minister WU Xueqian
was more impressive but it was clear that policy was made at a much higher level so the changes at the Foreign Ministry would have little if any substantive effect.
10. Thanking the Governor, Sir S Y Chung invited questions.
Mr Allen Lee asked whether YAO Guang had previously been
Ambassador to France and whether he was now the chief Chinese
negotiator. The Governor confirmed YAO Guang's background.
YAO Guang himself had said he would be "temporarily" in
charge of the negotiations on the Chinese side but it was
not clear what that meant. There was no sign of another
Chinese negotiator. Mr Lee asked whether YAO was indeed
inflexible. The Governor said that he was certainly under
tight instructions.
11. Mr Charles YEUNG said that at a recent meeting of the
Yuen Long District Board someone had claimed that the Governor
had said that District Boards would be invited to submit their
views on the future. Was this true? The Governor said
he had made no such statement. His only remark on the subject
had been in Aberdeen where he had said in response to a question
that District Boards were free to express their views on any topic. The Chief Secretary said that GIS had received a question as to whether District Boards had been invited to put forward views on the future. The reply given had been to the effect that district boards were free to discuss what
they wished.
12. Mr Andrew So said that the press had mentioned District Boards as one of the many channels available for people to express their views on the future. Was this right?
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The Chief Secretary ../
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