TNAG-1245-FCO40-1559-Press-reports-on-the-future-of-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 72

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A feature in Ta Kung Pao quoted several group members as saying they had heard nothing new or confidential during their trip. They felt that Beijing had been very discreet about the diplomatic talks and had stood by its promise of not disclosing the substance of the talks. When Chinese officials were pressed, they said the negotiations were still continuing and that Beijing had entered into the talks with the attitude of solving the problem. It was believed that the talks would bear fruit and they hoped compatriots in

HK could set their hearts at ease.

When asked whether HK would be allowed to take part in the talks, the officials said the negotiations were between the two countries. HK's participation would be very embarrassing and the talks would become tripartite. People in HK could reflect their wishes via various channels or even go to Beijing to express their views.

The Oriental Daily News quoted a delegation member as saying that "HK people governing HK" was only a proposition, details of which had yet to be drawn up.

In an interview with Ta Kung Pao on 14 April another member of the group, Dr. Edward Chen of HKU, said he gained the impression that Beijing had initiated a series of measures to ensure that HK maintained its vitality and adaptability between now and 1997. These measures were very pragmatic and designed to maintain HK's prosperity and stability, particularly in the light of the current world recession and the reported outflow of funds from HK. Dr. Chen said he understood that Beijing had not made a thorough study of HK's future beyond 1997. He thought there were reasons other than foreign exchange why China attached importance to HK. One of these was that China would consider HK as a bridge to absorb technology and to train up management personnel. The Express also carried a feature on the academics' visit to China. It quoted unnamed members as saying that Mr. Liao Chengzhi had repeated China's stance on the question of sovereignty but the discussions contained nothing new.

Meanwhile, two other left-wing education groups returned to HK over the weekend from China. The first included school teachers and headmasters, while the second comprised members of the Education Workers' Union. The leader of the first group and principal of Pui Kiu Middle School, Mr. Ng Hong-man, told Ta Kung Pao that Mr. Liao Chengzhi had told them at a meeting that it was the responsibility of educators to train up our young people for the future administration of HK under the "HK people governing HK" proposition. The programmes set up for the two groups were mainly confined to meeting educators.

A Ta Kung Pao commentator said the fact that China was now drafting a constitution for HK under an SAR arrangement showed that the time for reversion of sovereignty would soon be ripe. Tin Tin Daily News said in an editorial that information disclosed by the group indicated that Beijing was even more determined to take over HK. The pro-Taiwan HK Times said to require a local resident to recognise China as the sole legitimate Chinese government in order to be qualified for the status of HK resident suggested that "counter- revolutionaries" would be suppressed. The paper felt that local groups which had gone to Beijing had not only failed to reflect HK residents' wishes, but had been brainwashed by Chinese leaders.

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