TNAG-1243-FCO40-1557-Future-of-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 102

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FUTURE OF HONG KONG

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MKK0401

RECEIVED IN KEGISTA-

-34-1983

CHINESE PROPAGANDA AND HOW IT MIGHT DEVELOP INDEX

DESK OFFICER

REGISTRAN

PA

Skan

m M CH15/12

1767)

1. This note assesses Chinese propaganda tactics and considers how

these might develop in the event of a breakdown or lack of progress

in the talks.

2.

Between the end of July and the September round of talks there

was a distinct stepping up of Chinese propaganda. In Peking a

number of authoritative statements were published spelling out the

legal basis for the Chinese claim that sovereignty and

administrative control over Hong Kong must revert to China in 1997.

Chinese Ministers publicly accused the British side of rigidity in

the talks. In Hong Kong the communist press alleged that the

British Government was deliberately engineering a slump in

confidence in order to influence the Chinese position in

negotiations.

3. There has not as yet been any significant change in tactics but

there has been a significant reduction and toning down of

propaganda. Peking spokesmen reacted to comments by the Prime Minister and Mr Luce at the end of September. In October and early

November there were several public remarks by Chinese officials

including a MFA statement on 9 November about a Chinese announcement

in September 1984 if no agreement was reached by then. Ji Pengfei,

the Head of the Hong Kong and Macao Office in Peking, has become

increasingly prominent as the purveyor of a line intended to

reassure

the Hong Kong population. In October the Chinese made remarks in

Hong Kong and Peking, seeking to have the Hong Kong Government ban demonstrations organised by a pressure group connected with the KMT.

The demonstrations, which were small affairs, went ahead without

incident. In late November the communist press in Hong Kong expressed impatience at progress in the talks and, referring to

Britain's delaying tactics, called on Britain to take the

initiative.

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