TNAG-1249-FCO40-1563-Press-reports-on-the-future-of-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 169

RESTRICTED

19359

OF THE TALKS IN PEKING. IT SAW THE ARTICLE AS THE FIERCEST ATTACK

ON BRITAIN SINCE 1967.

1

4. WEN WEI PO (COMMUNIST) REITERATED ITS NOW-STANDARD ACCUSATION

THAT THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT WAS TRYING TO USE BOTH PUBLIC

OPINION AND ECONOMIC CARDS''. IT CLAIMED THAT THE FINANCIAL

SECRETARY'S MID-YEAR REVIEW SOUGHT TO ARGUE THAT HONG KONG'S

ECONOMY COULD NOT SURVIVE WITHOUT BRITISH ADMINISTRATION. SUCH

REMARKS SAID WEN WEI PO SHOWED THAT NEITHER THE HONG KONG NOR THE

BRITISH GOVERNMENT HAD ANY INTENTION OF MAINTAINING HONG KONG'S

STABILITY AND PROSPERITY. FOR THE SAKE OF THEIR COLONIAL INTERSTS

THEY WERE PREPARED TO SACRIFICE THE INTERESTS OF 5 MILLION HONG

KONG PEOPLE.

5. THE NEW EVENING POST (COMMUNIST) SAID THAT THE PROPER SUBJECT

OF THE TALKS IN PEKING WAS THE MAINTENANCE OF HONG KONG'S STABILITY

AND PROSPERITY. SINCE PROSPERITY DID NOT DEPEND ON BRITISH RULE,

THE BRITISH SIDE SHOULD NOT BE RAISING IN THE TALKS ISSUES SUCH

AS AN EXTENSION OF THE LEASE, TRUSTEESHIP OR ''CHINESE

SOVEREIGNTY AND BRITISH ADMINISTRATION''.

HADDON CAVE

Howe

2

RESTRICTED

1