GRS 290
RESTRICTED
FM HONG KONG 210840Z APR 83
TO PRIORITY FCO
RESTRICTED
TELEGRAM NUMBER 548 OF 21 APRIL 1983
INFO PRIORITY PEKING
FUTURE OF HONG KONG: PRESS COVERAGE
(47)
TOP GOPY
MKK040/2
PROEIVED IN MEDISTET NO. 41 2 3 APR 1983
THE FUJIAN FIRST PARTY SECRETARY, XIANG NAN, SPOKE TO HONG KONG JOURNALISTS WHO HAD BEEN INVITED TO FUZHOU FOR THE FUJIAN PROVINCIAL PEOPLE'S POLITICAL CONSULTATIVE CONFERENCE. HIS REMARKS WERE WIDELY AND PROMINENTLY REPORTED BOTH IN THE PRESS AND ON TELE- VISION. XIANG REPORTEDLY SAID THAT THE SINO/BRITISH TALKS ON HONG KONG'S FUTURE WERE IN SUSPENSE BECAUSE OF THE AMBIGUOUS STAND OF THE BRITISH. CHINA HAD MADE TWO DECISIONS ON THE TALKS: SOVEREIGNTY WAS NOT NEGOTIABLE AND CHINA WOULD TAKE BACK HONG KONG AT AN APPROPRIATE TIME. THERE COULD BE TALKS ON HOW TO MAINTAIN HONG KONG'S PROSPERITY AND STABILITY. HONG KONG'S STATUS AS A FREE PORT AND A FINANCIAL CENTRE WOULD BE PRESERVED.
2. SPEECHES BY TWO PROMINENT HONG KONG PEOPLE HAVE ALSO ATTRACTED SOME ATTENTION IN RECENT DAYS. THE FIRST, ON 19 APRIL, WAS BY A PROMINENT LOCAL BARRISTER, HENRY LITTON QC. IN A SPEECH TO THE ROTARY CLUB, LITTON SAID THAT THE LEGAL SYSTEMS IN HONG KONG AND CHINA WERE SO FAR APART THAT THERE WOULD INEVITABLY BE CHANGES IN THE EVENT OF A CHINESE TAKEOVER. THE RIGHT-WING EXPRESS IN AN EDITORIAL ON 21 APRIL COMMENTING ON LITTON'S REMARKS, SAID THAT HONG KONG'S STABILITY AND PROSPERITY COULD NOT BE MAINTAINED IF SOVEREIGNTY AND ADMINISTRATIVE CONTROL RETURNED TO CHINA BECAUSE THE TWO LEGAL SYSTEMS WERE NOT COMPATIBLE. A PROMINENT LEFT-WING LAWYER, MISS DOROTHY LIU, WAS QUOTED IN THE ORIENTAL DAILY ON 21 APRIL AS SAYING THAT PEKING HAD COME UP WITH THE QUOTE ONE STATE TWO SYSTEMS UNQUOTE FORMULA TO TAKE ACCOUNT OF THE PROBLEMS LITTON HAD DESCRIBED.
3. THE OTHER SPEECH WAS BY THE CHANCELLOR OF HONG KONG UNIVERSITY, DR. RAYSON HUANG. AT A MEETING AT THE UNIVERSITY HE URGED GRADUATES TO SHOW FAITH IN HONG KONG AND NOT TO THINK OF LEAVING. HUANG SAID THAT HE HIMSELF WOULD STAY IN HONG KONG WHATEVER HAPPENED. YOUDE
$
GOPY
FUTURE OF HONG KÒNG
LIMIYUND
HD NEWS!
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PS/MR HURD
PS/LORD BELSTEAD
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SIR J BULLARD
MR GIFFARD MR DONALD
SIR I SINCLAIR LEGAL ADVISER MR BURROWS LEGAL ADVISERS
MR ROBERTS NEWS D
MR MARTIN
MR FLOWER
ASSESSMENTS STAFF CABINET OFFICE
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MR COLES NO TO DOWNING
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RESTRICTED
THIS TELEGRAM
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