TNAG-1249-FCO40-1563-Press-reports-on-the-future-of-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 168

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FM FCO 211005Z SEP 83

TO IMMEDIATE BRUNEI

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MKK04012

RECEIVED IN AEGISTRÝ

INUX

21 SEP 1933

TELEGRAM NUMBER 195 OF 21 SEPTEMBER

REGISTRY

Sehun Taker

CH2619

19359

1

NO DISTRIBUTION

FOLLOWING TELEGRAM NOW REPEATED TO YOU (FOR PS/MR LUCE) AT

REQUEST OF DEPARTMENT WAS RECEIVED FROM HONG KONG TELNO 1393

OF 21 SEPTEMBER.

Q22

INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON, PEKING,

HK GOVT REPS WASHINGTON, CG NEW YORK, BRUSSELS, UKMIS GENEVA

(225)

FUTURE OF HONG KONG: PRESS COVERAGE.

913).Q16

1. ALL LEFT-WING NEWSPAPERS REPRINTED IN FULL THE PEOPLE'S DAILY

ARTICLE ENTITLED 'CHINA RECOVERING SOVEREIGNTY OVER HONG KONG

IS ENTIRELY CONSISTENT WITH INTERNATIONAL LAW'' (PEKING TELNO 913).

THE ARTICLE WAS ALSO WIDELY REPORTED IN THE INDEPENDENT PRESS

WITH EDITORIAL COMMENT IN MING PAO AND THE EXPRESS.

2. MING PAO REGARDED THE PEOPLE'S DAILY ARTICLE AS A 1 'FULL

STATEMENT OF CHINA'S STANCE'' BEFORE THE FOURTH ROUND OF TALKS.

THE EDITORIAL SAW BRITAIN'S AIM IN THE TALKS TO TRY TO SECURE

CONTINUED BRITISH ADMINISTRATION AFTER 1997. BUT THAT WAS STILL

14 YEARS AWAY. THE MORE IMMEDIATE AND MORE DIFFICULT PROBLEM

WAS THE CONTINUED DEPRECIATION OF THE HONG KONG DOLLAR. UNLESS

THE NOSEDIVE WAS HALTED, ARGUED MING PAO, AND THE LOCAL

ECONOMY COLLAPSED IN FOUR OR FIVE YEAR'S TIME, THERE WOULD BE

NO NEED TO DISCUSS SOVEREIGNTY AND ADMINISTRATION 14 YEARS FROM

NOW. THE PAPER URGED BRITAIN AND CHINA TO CO-OPERATE IN A

FRIENDLY MANNER TO STABILISE THE HONG KONG DOLLAR. IT SAID THE

KEY LAY WITH THE CONFIDENCE OF HONG KONG PEOPLE. CONFIDENCE

WOULD EXIST ONLY IN THE BELIEF THAT THE TWO SIDES WERE MAINTAINING

A FRIENDLY CO-OPERATION. THE EDITORIAL HOPED THAT A JOINT STATEMENT

WOULD ISSUE FROM THE PRESENT TALKS WHICH REAFFIRMED THE TWO SIDES'

COMMITMENT NOT ONLY TO LONG-TERM STABILITY AND PROSPERITY BUT

ALSO TO CO-OPERATION IN STABILISING THE HONG KONG DOLLAR.

3. THE EXPRESS COMMENTED THAT THE PEOPLE'S DAILY ARTICLE WAS

DESIGNED TO PUT PRESSURE ON BRITAIN ON THE EVE OF THE RESUMPTION

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