TNAG-1249-FCO40-1563-Press-reports-on-the-future-of-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 116

(250)

(253)

Su (54)

GR 250

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL MICKOTOP COPY

FM PEKING 050915Z OCT 83

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELEGRAM NUMBER 988 OF 5 OCTOBER

INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

- 7 UCT 1983

PA

m

THE

REG.AIRY

Azrion Taker

1CM24/10

MIPT: FUTURE OF HONG KONG: XINHUA COMMENTARY COMMENT 1. THOUGH THERE ARE NO NEW POINTS IN THIS COMMENTARY, USE OF A NEW CHINA NEWS AGENCY COMMENTARY IS IN ITSELF A SLIGHT ESCALATION OF THE PROPAGANDA. THE REFERENCE BACK TO THE PRIME MINISTER'S REMARKS IN SEPTEMBER 1982, AND TO WHAT IS DESCRIBED AS QUOTE WAVES OF PROTESTS ON THE TERRITORY OF CHINA UNQUOTE AT THE TIME SHOWS THAT THE REFERENCES TO INDEPENDENCE FOR HONG KONG, ALBEIT AN ENTIRELY HYPOTHETICAL INDEPENDENCE, HAVE CAUGHT THE CHINESE ON THE RAW. THERE IS A CERTAIN INCREASE IN THE EMOTIONAL LANGUAGE, IN PARTICULAR THE SUGGESTION OF 'SERIOUS CONCERN' ABOUT THE PRIME MINISTER'S REMARKS ON INDEPENDENCE, AND THE ALLEGED RIDICULOUS'' NATURE OF THE SUGGESTION THAT BRITAIN GAINS NOTHING FROM HONG KONG. NEVERTHELESS THE COMMENTARY RETURNS TO THE SUGGESTION OF FRIENDLY COOPERATION OVER HONG KONG IN ITS FINAL NOTE, AND IS THEREFORE NOT UNREMITTINGLY POLEMIC IN TONE.

#

2. WHILE THIS IS NO DOUBT PART OF THE GENERAL PROPAGANDA PRESSURE ON THE UK TO MAKE CONCESSIONS IN THE TALKS, WE SUSPECT THAT THE COMMENTARY MAY ALSO BE DEALING WITH POTENTIAL INTERNAL CRITICISM OF A NATIONALIST NATURE OF THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT'S CONTINUED PURSUIT OF TALKS WITH THE UK OVER HONG

KONG.

CLARK

FUTURE OF HONG KONG

COPIES TO

LIMITED

MR BURROWS

SIR IAN SINCLAIR LEGAL ADVISER LEGAL ADVISER

HD/HKD

HD/FED

MR ROBERTS

NEWS D

HD/PLANNING STAFF

MR MARTIN

HD/PUSD

PS

PS/LADY YOUNG

MR FLOWER

PS/MR LUCE

MR COLES

PS/PUS

SIR J BULLARD

MR GIFFARD

MR DONALD

MR WRIGHT

ASSESSMENTS STAFF

CABINET OFFICE

PUSD

NO 10 DOWNING STREET

SIR A PARSONS NO 10 DOWNING STREET

MR WALKER RESEARCH D OAB

CONFIDENTIAL