TNAG-1237-FCO40-1550-Future-of-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 149

D

CONFIDENTIAL

OVERALL INCREASE OF 7. THE MOST PROMINENT HONG KONG PARTICIPANT IS ALAN LAU OF THE MILLIES GROUP (ONE OF THE FIRST HONG KONG COMPANIES TO INVEST IN THE SHENZHEN SEZ), WHO IS ATTENDING THE PROVINCIAL PCC.

3. AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL MEETINGS OF THE NPC AND CPPCC THERE IS AN ADDITIONAL CATEGORY OF 'SPECIALLY INVITED' DELEGATES WHICH WOULD ENABLE PEOPLE FROM HONG KONG AND MACAU TO BE INVITED DIRECTLY WITHOUT HAVING TO ATTEND THE PREPARATORY PROVINCIAL LEVEL MEETINGS. IN ADDITION TO THE INVITATIONS MENTIONED IN MY TELNO 381 WE KNOW OF A NUMBER OF APPROACHES TO LOCAL PERSONALITIES, USUALLY IN THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY. MANY OF THESE INVITATIONS

APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN DECLINED, BUT THOSE OF WHICH WE ARE AWARE

ARE NO DOUBT ONLY THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG.

4. THE COMMUNIST PRESS HAVE BEEN RELATIVELY QUIET OVER THE PAST

FORTNIGHT. THEY HAVE CONTINUED TO PUBLISH INTERVIEWS WITH NON-COMMUNIST PEOPLE WHO EXPRESS OPTIMISM ABOUT THE FUTURE, AND

COMMENTARY ARTICLES HIGHLIGHTING THE UNDERLYING STRENGTHS OF

HONG KONG'S ECONOMY WHICH ARE THEN ADDUCED AS PROOF OF HONG

KONG PEOPLE'S TRUST IN CHINA'S INTENTIONS. THIS PATTERN WAS

HOWEVER BROKEN BY AN EDITORIAL IN THE NEW EVENING POST ON 7 APRIL.

FOR DETAILS SEE MIFT.

YOUDE

FUTURE OF HONG KÒNG

TAEMINUED

ED/HKGD

HD/FED

ED/PLANNING STAFF

ED/PUSD PS

PS/MR HURD

PS/LORD BELSTEAD PS/PUS

SIR J BULLARD

MR GIFFARD

MR DONALD

COPIES TO

SIR I SINCLAIR LEGAL ADVISER MR BURROWS LEGAL ADVISERS

MR ROBERTS NEWS D

MR MARTIN

ASSESSMENTS STAFF CABINET OFFICE

MR FLOWER

PUSD

MR COLES NO 10 DOWNING STREET

2

CONFIDENTIAL

4