TNAG-1250-FCO40-1564-Press-reports-on-the-future-of-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 3

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LAST PAPER.

布政司署

民政科

香港下亞厘畢道

本署檔號 OUR REF.:

HAB ID 2900/C VI

Mr. Droone

YOUR REF.: HKK 040/2

как

HOME AFFAIRS BRANCH

GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT,

LOWER ALBERT ROAD, HONG KONG,

(48)

Mrs J S C Priest,

Hong Kong Department,

You may wish to see fust

мосину

re you

thay munte Mr. Clifty in. Sittent.

тиге

23rd September 1983 P

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

London SW1A 2AH

United Kingdom

HKK 040/2

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

2

3- JAN 1984

DESK OFFICER

INDEX

PA

REGISTRY

Action Taken

27/5

see (40)

Der Mm Prest

EMB)

Future of Hong Kong Hong Kong Press

Coverage of Chinese Statements

I apologise for the delay in replying to your letter of 6th September which was due to the pressure of work that the very large numbers of visiting MPs over these last few weeks has caused.

204)

The major Chinese newspapers in Hong Kong, the Wah Kiu Yat Pao, the Sing Tao and the Sing Pao, have tended to report Chinese statements on the future factually without editorial comment. This seems to be because of fears of retribution from the Chinese "after the Chinese take-over". There has been some direct pressure on newspapers and reporters who have given editorial comment on the future which is not in accordance with Chinese line. This pressure has been in the form of telephone calls to the editors and to the reporters saying that the material printed had been noted, and that the Chinese would prefer Chinese reporters and newspapers to take a "patriotic line" with the implication sketched in that unpatriotic reporting would lead to its own inevitable consequences. Even without direct pressure of this kind the hypersensitive atmosphere in Hong Kong would lead certain newspapers to be careful of printing anything which could cause offence were the Chinese to take over. Presumably it is the major newspapers which have been most susceptible to this pressure because they have the greatest amount of investment to lose.

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