TNAG-1246-FCO40-1560-Press-reports-on-the-future-of-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 63

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The HK Commercial Daily said the confidence expressed by HE would help maintain HK's prosperity and stability and there were no reasons why this territory should remain pessimistic about its prospects. The HK Daily News said Sir Edward was trying to make it categorically clear that both the HK and British Governments held views on HK's future which were different from China's. His belief that differences between the two sides could be reconciled was based on the understanding that China had not hung on to demanding administrative as well as sovereign rights. Picking up Sir Edward's phrase, "If the weather is rough, the ship is sound", the paper said the ship was sailing ahead with 5.3 million people on board. China was the keel, Britain the helmsman and HK people the crew. If the keel did not change shape, and the helmsman and crew worked cautiously, the ship would naturally be on course.

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BALL GAME METAPHOR CLARIFIED:

Clarification came during the week concerning the ball game metaphor attributed to NPC Vice-chairman, Mr. Liao Chengzhi, during his meeting with an NT delegation. The group met Mr. Liao for a third time on 18 January and its leader, Mr. Lau Wong-fat, told the press afterwards that China had passed to Britain the big ball (regaining sovereignty) and not the small ball (proposals on HK's future) as reported by the local news media, including left-wing papers. Mr. Liao was quoted in Ming Pao saying details of the self-rule option might take some time to draw up, while Sing Pao reported him saying that the nine proposals for reunification with Taiwan would also apply to HK and Macau. TVB quoted him saying there would be no transitional period when the lease expired. A press statement issued by the delegation on its return repeated the clarification and said China was awaiting a response from Britain on the sovereignty question. The statement also confirmed that the group had put forward five memoranda containing proposals on HK's future. It urged both the Chinese and British Governments to reach an early settlement to stabilise confidence in HK's future. From the airport, the group went for lunch with the Secretary for District Administration and briefed him on the visit. Some independent papers reported that they had given Mr. Akers-Jones copies of the memoranda and information obtained during their meetings with Mr. Liao for submission to the Governor. The Express said editorially that though the visit broke no new ground it had at least produced some positive effects in preserving HK's prosperity and stability by reflecting the wishes of local people to China. On 20 January, AFP quoted a spokesman for the Information Department of the Chinese Foreign Ministry denying that Mr. Liao had said China was awaiting a reply from Britain to its proposals on HK's future; he had said nothing to this effect. The report was played up by a number of independent papers and the pro-Taiwan HK Times. The latter described the denial as a slap on the face for Mr. Liao and said it also showed that Chinese leaders did not know how to handle the issue at this stage.

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