TNAG-1238-FCO40-1551-Future-of-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 175

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4. ONE DELEGATE COMPLAINED ABOUT RECENT INCREASES IN RATES,

ELECTRICITY AND INDIRECT TAXATION HERE. IN REPLY LIAO REPORTEDLY BECAME EMOTIONAL, MADE GENEROUS NON COMMITTAL PROMISES AND ASKED FOR MORE INFORMATION.

COMMENT

5. THIS VISIT WAS ORGANISED BY A NUMBER OF NT FIGURES WHO WERE ACTIVELY DISLOYAL OR WORSE IN 1967. FOR THIS REASON, THE VISIT IS LIKELY TO BE DISMISSED BY MORE LOYAL PUBLIC OPINION IN HONG KONG. BUT IT IS SIGNIFICANT THAT A NUMBER OF MIDDLE OF THE ROAD PEOPLE WERE WILLING TO TAKE PART. SOME OF THESE HAVE COMMENTED PRIVATELY SINCE THEIR RETURN THAT THEY WOULD NOT WISH TO SEE A PRC FLAG OVER HONG KONG, NOR COMMUNIST CONTROL OF THE ADMINISTRATION. BUT SINCE THEY WERE APPARENTLY UNWILLING OR UNABLE TO VOICE THESE MISGIVINGS TO LIAO CHENGZHI, THE CHINESE ARE LIKELY TO REGARD THE VISIT AS SOMETHING OF A UNITED FRONT COUP.

YOUDE

FUPURE OF RONG CÔNG

MEMEMMED

ED/RKGD HD/FED

ED/PLANNING STAFF ED/PUSD PS

PS/MR HURD

PS/LORD BELSTEAD PS/FUS

SIR J BULLARD

MB GIFFARD

MR DONALAD

2

COPIES TO

SIR I SINCLAIR LEGAL ADVISER MR BURROWS LEGAL ADVISERS

MR ROBERTS NEWS D

MR MARTIN

MR FLOWER

ASSESSMENTS STAFF CABINET OFFICE

PUSD

MR COLES NO 10 DOWNING ST. SIR A PARSONS

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