TNAG-1247-FCO40-1561-Press-reports-on-the-future-of-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 127

1101/31

BQ

NOFO 079/31

T/L FCO

T/L PEKING

GR 150

RESTRICTED

TELELETTER

C

Mitte

MAR+

x/ in some way off but

the move is in that dischia,

FROM: R.P. MARGOLIS, DEPUTY POLITICAL ADVISER, HONG KONG

FILE REF: NIL

413

HKK040 |

DATED: 31 MARCH 1983

FOLLOWING FOR: WARWICK MORRIS, ESQ., HKGD, FCO

KEGVED IN MUSIDY NO. 51 -8 APR 1983

COPIED TO:

R.N. PIERCE, ESQ., HM EMBASSY PERING N.J. COX ESQ., FED, FCO

m

REGISTRY

Action Tak

CM.B/F

✓

FUTURE OF HONG KONG : PRESS COMMENT

THE INDEPENDENT HONG KONG ECONOMIC JOURNAL PUBLISHED TWO EDITORIALS ON 30 AND 31 MARCH TRIGGERED OFF BY THE PUBLIC REACTION IN HONG KONG TO THE FILM 'GANDHI'. ON 30 MARCH, THE ECONOMIC JOURNAL OBSERVED THAT SOME YOUNG PEOPLE WATCHING THE FILM HAD APPLAUDED SPONTANEOUSLY PASSAGES ILLUSTRATING GANDHI'S DETERMINATION TO LIBERATE INDIA FROM COLONIAL RULE. THE FACT THAT THE FILM WAS BEING SHOWN IN HONG KONG DEMONSTRATED THE BRITISH AND HONG KONG GOVERNMENT'S COMMITMENT TO FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION. THE PAPER SAID THAT MORE COOL-HEADED PEOPLE SHOULD KNOW THAT HONG KONG WAS DIFFERENT FROM COLONIAL INDIA BECAUSE ITS ECONOMY WAS FLOURISHING AND UNDER BRITISH ADMINISTRATION HONG KONG HAD MADE PROGRESS TOWARDS DEMOCRACY.

2. IN THE FURTHER EDITORIAL ON 31 MARCH, THE ECONOMIC JOURNAL SAID THAT IT WOULD BE UNWISE TO INSIST ON APPOINTING A LOCAL CHINESE AS GOVERNOR OF HONG KONG SIMPLY TO APPEASE NATIONALISTIC SENTIMENTS. IT MIGHT BE BETTER TO APPOINT LOCAL CHINESE TO ALL POLICY MAKING POSTS OTHER THAN THE GOVERNORSHIP. HONG KONG

WAS GEOGRAPHICALLY AND HISTORICALLY PART OF CHINA, A FACT WHICH BRITISH PARTICIPATION IN THE ADMINISTRATION OF HONG KONG DID NOT CHANGE.

SIGNED: R.P. MARGOLIS

NNNN