TNAG-1245-FCO40-1559-Press-reports-on-the-future-of-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 56

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2.

DELEGATES TO NPC:

The names of 20 HK and Macau delegates elected to the sixth National People's Congress were announced on 10 May. They included the publisher of Ta Kung Pao, Mr. Fei Yiming; the second director of Xinhua in HK, Mr. Li Jusheng, the Vice-Chairman of the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Tong Bing-tak; the chairman of the Federation of Trade Unions, Mr. Yeung Kwong; the two deputy general managers of the Bank of China; actress, Miss Shek-wei; and Macau businessman, Mr. Ho Yin. All are associated with left-wing organisations in HK. The number of HK and Macau deputies to the the NPC remained at 20, the same as last year, but the total number of NPC delegates was reduced by about 500 to 2 978. In an interview with the New Evening Post, Mr. Fei Yiming said there were less communist party members in the NPC; this composition would have more positive effects on modernisation.

3.

UK ELECTION:

The Chinese-language press commented extensively on Britain's general election in the context of its effects on the Sino-British talks. Three independent papers Financial Daily, Express and HK Daily News - said the election would be good news for HK because the next British Government, be it Conservative or Labour, would be able to map out its policy towards HK over a long period of political stability. The Express was quite certain that the Conservative Party would be re-elected. Since Mrs. Thatcher had pledged to respect HK people's wishes on the 1997 question and to uphold the territory's prosperity, HK would stand to benefit from her re-election. The Financial Daily, together with Ming Pao, said in an editorial that the next British Government, whether Labour or Conservative. would not change the existing policy on Hong Kong's future because the two parties shared a similar stand on the issue. The paper expected the Sino-British diplomatic talks to enter a more substantial stage next month. The next British Government would come up with a more definite policy on Hong Kong. On the other hand, Chinese leaders could draw up a clearer policy on Hong Kong after they were given the mandate to rule the country for five more years in the next National People's Congress.

In a leader, the left-wing Wen Wei Po said Mrs. Thatcher wanted to seize the opportunity to get re-elected while the Conservatives were still popular before the pound sterling slumped further as a result of dwindling revenues from North Sea oil and before the wave of demonstrations against Britain's increasing defence spending dealt another blow to the Government. The paper said it would not matter much whether the Conservative or Labour parties won the election as long as there was a responsible and stable British Government to promote the relationship with China and to ensure the Sino-British talks progressed smoothly.

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