TNAG-1249-FCO40-1563-Press-reports-on-the-future-of-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 184

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HONG KONG TEL NOS 1371 AND 1973:

FUTURE OF HONG KONG:

PRESS COVERAGE

1, THE NONA DESPATCH REFERRED TO IN PARA 1 OF FIRST TUR WAS CARRIED IN FOUR CHINESE NEWSPAPERS: PEOPLE'S DAILY, GUANGMING DAILY AND WORKER'S DAILY OF 16 SEPTEMBER, AND CHINA DAILY(ENGLISH LANGUAGE) OF 17 SEPTEMBER.

THE ENGLISH VERSION WAS ALSO CARRIED IN NCA'S ENGLISH SUMMARY OF BULLETINS ON 17 SEPTEMBER.

2. THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE VERSION WAS MISLEADINGLY TRANSLATED. UNDER THE HEADLINE ''BRITISH POLL IN HONG KONG HYPOCRISY, PRESS SAYS IT MENTIONED A POPULAR FEELING POLL STAGED BY THE BRITISH AUTHORITIES. THE IMPLICATION WAS THAT A SPECIFIC EXERCISE HAD BEEN UNDERTAKEN BY THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT. THE ORIGINAL CHINESE HOWEVER REFERRED ONLY TO THE PLAYING OF THE PUBLIC OPINION CARD BY THE BRITISH, AS REPORTED IN FIRST TUR. IT MENTIONED THAT THE HONG KONG AUTHORITIES HAD. LAUNCHED A MOVEMENT TO GATHER ''PUBLIC OPINION', BUT MADE NO SPECIFIC REFERENCE TO A POLL AS SUCH.

COMMENT

3. A MISTRANSLATION AS GROSS AS THIS IS A LITTLE UNUSUAL, BUT !

DO NOT ATTACH ANY SIGNIFICANCE TO IT. THE INTENTION

OF THE ARTICLES WAS CLEARLY TO ATTACK ON GENERAL DEPLOYMENT

OF THE PUBLIC OPINION ARGUMENT RATHER THAN ANY SPECIFIC ACT.

SIGNED.

T SMITH

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