TNAG-1246-FCO40-1560-Press-reports-on-the-future-of-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 23

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Foreign and Commonwealth Office

London SW1A 2AH

(21

Dear John,

Future of Hong Kong

15 March 1983

HKK04012

RESIVED

DESK

18 MAR 1983

Hy

Thank you for your letter of 14 March about a report in the Hong Kong press that China intends to resume sovereignty over Hong Kong in September.

We are asking Hong Kong and Peking if they have any further comments. Should they have anything to add to what is below we shall let you know.

Its

We have seen no collateral whatsoever for this report. apparent source, 'Reference News', is a digest of foreign press news items translated into Chinese for readers with a particular need for knowledge of overseas events. It is not a mouthpiece of Party or Government. It is therefore a most unlikely vehicle for announcing what would be a major decision by China's central leadership.

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...

It is significant that later the same day (11 March) the pro- Communist Hong Kong newspaper 'New Evening Post' described the report as 'a clumsy distortion' and 'a rumour

far from the truth'. Aware of the harmful effect such a report can have on confidence, the 'New Evening Post' also said that the rumour ran contrary to the aim of maintaining Hong Kong's stability and prosperity. We know that rumours about a Chinese announcement in June have been circulating in Hong Kong and it is possible that this has been distorted and confused with China's plan to recover sovereignty at a specified date ie 1997.

Үто ела

(JE Hol

for the

Private Secretary

A J Coles Esq 10 Downing Street

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