TNAG-1248-FCO40-1562-Press-reports-on-the-future-of-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 67

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GR 1000

UNCLASSIFIED

FM HONG KONG 200748Z JUL 83

TO ROUTINE FCO

TELEGRAM NUMBER 1036 OF 20

HKK040|2

2 1 JUL 1983

TOP COPY

4 CHlll8

INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON, PEKING, WASHINGTON

(FOR HK GOVT REP), CG NEW YORK (FOR HK GOVT REP), BRUSSELS (FOR HK GOVT REP), UKMIS GENEVA (FOR HK GOVT REP).

FUTURE OF HONG KONG: PRESS REPORTS

-MIPT

1. FOLLOWING IS FULL TRANSLATION OF EDITORIAL IN MING PAO DAILY

NEWS ON 18 JULY.

?BEGINS.

IS IT FEASIBLE FOR HONG KONG TO BE ADMINISTERED BY HONG KONG PEOPLE.

A 'YOUTH DELEGATION'' LED BY LI PENG-FE! AND OTHERS HAS PRESENTED

TO VICE-CHAIRMAN OF THE NATIONAL PEOPLE'S CONGRESS XI ZHONGXUN A

LETTER OF OPINIONS STRESSING AMONG OTHER THINGS THAT ALLOWING

HONG KONG TO BE ADMINISTERED BY HONG KONG PEOPLE IS NOT FEASIBLE. THE

STUDENTS' UNION OF THE CHINESE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG THEN ISSUED

A LETTER OF OPINIONS, TOO, SAYING THAT THE IDEA OF HAVING HONG KONG

ADMINISTERED BY HONG KONG PEOPLE IS FEASIBLE. SOME TIME LATER, NEWLY

APPOINTED DELEGATE TO THE PEOPLE'S POLITICAL CONSULTATIVE

CONFERENCE MR T.K. ANN, SPEAKING AT THE PPCC'D CLOSING CEREMONY

IN BEIJING, SAID HONG KONG SHOULD BE ADMINISTERED UNDER HONG KONG

LAWS, IN ADDITION TO BEING ADMINISTERED BY HONG KONG PEOPLE. ONE

RECALLS THAT AFTER THE IDEA OF HAVING HONG KONG ADMINISTERED BY

HONG KONG PEOPLE HAD BEEN GREETED WITH LUKEWARM RECEPTION IN HONG

KONG, CHINESE COMMUNIST LEADERS HAVE MORE THAN ONCE MENTIONED

PRIVATELY THE IDEA OF HAVING HONG KONG ADMINISTERED UNDER THE LAWS

OF HONG KONG. IT WAS NEVERTHELESS THE FIRST TIME THAT THE IDEA

WAS SPELT OUT ON AN OFFICIAL OCCASION THROUGH MR ANN.

BEFORE DECIDING ON WHETHER THE IDEA OF HAVING HONG KONG ADMINISTERED

BY HONG KONG PEOPLE IS FEASIBLE, IT IS NECESSARY TO ASCERTAIN THE

EXTENT OF ITS APPLICATION. IT MEANS WHETHER IT WILL 'SERVE TO MAINTAIN THE STABILITY AND PROSPERITY IN HONG KONG. IT SHOULD

FURTHER BE ASCERTAINED WHETHER THE STABILITY AND PROSPERITY REFERRED

TO ARE THOSE NOW PREVAILING IN HONG KONG, THAT IS TO SAY, CAPITALIST STABILITY AND PROSPERITY, INSTEAD OF SOCIALIST STABILITY AND

PROSPERITY OF THE SHANGHAI-TYPE.

WE HAVE NOT YET EXPRESSED OPINION ON THIS VITAL QUESTION AS IT IS NOT THAT SIMPLE AS TO INVOLVE FEASIBILITY OR UNFEASIBILITY ALONE.

IT DEPENDS ON MANY OTHER ANCILLARY CONDITIONS. IF ALL THESE

CONDITIONS CAN BE FULFILLED, TO HAVE HONG KONG ADMINISTERED BY HONG KONG PEOPLE IS FEASIBLE. AND IT WILL BE EVEN MORE FEASIBLE

IF HONG KONG IS ADMINISTERED UNDER THE LAWS OF HONG KONG. IN

DEFAULT OF FULFILLING THE ANCILLARY CONDITIONS, OR WITH

SUPERFICIAL INSTEAD OF FULL AND SUBSTANTIVE FULFILMENT, THE IDEA OF HAVING HONG KONG ADMINISTERED BY HONG KONG PEOPLE UNDER THE LAWS OF HONG KONG WILL NOT BE FEASIBLE.

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