TNAG-1248-FCO40-1562-Press-reports-on-the-future-of-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 58

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5. THE WEN WEI PO (COMMUNIST) IN EDITORIALS ON 26 AND 27 JULY REFERRED TO THE SIGNING CEREMONY IN LONDON OF THE CONTRACT SECURED BY A BP LED CONSORTIUM TO DRILL FOR OIL IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA. THIS CONTRACT AND THE CABLE AND WIRELESS CONTRACT FOR A COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK TO SERVE THE SOUTH CHINA SEA OIL EXPLORATION INDICATED THE EXCELLENT STATE OF SINO BRITISH RELATIONS. THE EDITORIALS SAID THAT THERE WERE NO SIGNIFICANT OBSTACLES TO THE ACHIEVEMENT OF A SUCCESS- FUL OUTCOME TO THE TALKS.

6. THE NEW EVENING POST (COMMUNIST) IN AN EDITORIAL ON 26 JULY SAID THAT THERE WERE TWO MAIN ASPECTS TO CHINESE ACTIVITY ON THE FUTURE. THE FIRST WAS NEGOTIATING WITH BRITAIN IN ORDER TO RECOVER SOVER- EIGNTY AND END BRITISH ADMINISTRATION IN HONG KONG. THE SECOND WAS THAT, AS A DOMESTIC ISSUE, CHINA WAS MAPPING OUT ITS POLICIES TOWARDS HONG KONG FOR THE PERIOD FOLLOWING THE RECOVERY OF SOVEREIGNTY. CONFIDENTIALITY HAD BEEN MAINTAINED ON THE NEGOTIATIONS. ON THE SECOND AREA OF ACTIVITY, THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT ATTACHED GREAT WEIGHT TO THE OPINION OF PEOPLE IN HONG KONG. THE EDITORIAL ALSO SAID THAT SIR P CRADOCK WAS THE LEADER OF THE BRITISH DELEGATION EVEN THOUGH HE WAS JUNIOR TO THE GOVERNOR OF HONG KONG BECAUSE AS BRITISH AMBASSADOR HE COULD REPRESENT BRITAIN AS THE WHOLE, WHEREAS THE BRITISH GOVERNOR OF HONG KONG COULD ONLY REPRESENT BRITISH INTERESTS. IN HONG KONG.

HADDON-CAVE

FUTURE OF HONG KONG

(REPEATED AS REQUESTED)

LIMITED

COPIES TO:

HD/HKD

HD/FED

MR BURROWS

HD/PLANNING STAFF

MR MARTIN

PS

HD/PUSD

PS/LADY YOUNG

PS/MR LUCE

PS/PUS

SIR J BULLARD

MR GIFFARD

MR DONALD

MR WRIGHT

MR FLOWER

MR COLES

SIR I SINCLAIR LEGAL ADVISER

LEGAL ADVISERS

ASSESSMENTS STAFF CABINET OFFICE

PUSD

NO 10 DOWNING ST

SIR A PARSONS

MR WALKER, RESEARCH DEPT

MR ROBERTS NEWS D

GOGGS

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