TNAG-1247-FCO40-1561-Press-reports-on-the-future-of-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 148

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Richayer Hoare

CHINESE PRESS (EUROPEAN EDITIONS)

REVIEW-

A Summary of Reports of Interest

23rd March, 1983

13/83

Translation of an article carried in

Sing Tao (European edition) of 20th March, 1983

First Sign of Change

Just when the Chinese and British authorities are beginning to talk about the future of Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Government is already making amendment to its policies to correspond with the change in China's policy towards Hong Kong.

The first sign of change is reflected in the Annual Report published by the Hong Kong Government. In the chapter on Constitution and Administration, it used to contain in the first place a paragraph like this: "Hong Kong is administered by the Hong Kong Government and organised along the lines traditional for a British colony. The local head of the government is the Governor. The central government is served by two main advisory bodies the Executive Council and the Legislative Council. The British Government's policy towards Hong Kong is that there shall be no fundamental changes for which there is, in any event, little or no popular pressure"

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However, in its latest issue, the wordings have been altered to thus: "Hong Kong is administered by the Hong Kong Government, and its administration has developed from the basic pattern applied in all British-governed territories overseas. The head of the Hong Kong Government is the Governor".

There are two marked differences:

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1) The words "Aines traditional for a British Colony have been changed to "... basic pattern applied in all British-governed territories overseas... This is possibly to reflect the meaning of "British dependent territories overseas" contained in the new Nationality Act.