TNAG-1320-FCO40-1726-Future-of-Hong-Kong-assessment-of-public-opinion-1984 — Page 14

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TO CONTRIBUTE TO DISCUSSIONS ON HONG KONG'S FUTURE. QUOTE I AM

WILLING TO CONTACT EVERYBODY WHO IS WILLING TO CONTACT ME UNQUOTE)

2、 PEOPLE ARE INCREASINGLY PERPLEXED BY OUR OWN FAILURE TO COMMENT

PUBLICLY ON THIS BARRAGE OF PROPAGANDA FROM PEKING. MOST THOUGHTFUL

PEOPLE HERE HAVE PROBABLY CONCLUDED THAT THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT

HAVE CONCEDED BOTH PRINCIPAL REQUIREMENTS ON SOVEEREIGNTY AND

ADMINISTRATION THEY HAVE BEEN ENCOURAGED IN THIS BELIEF BY

ARTICLES APPEARING IN THE BRITISH PRESS NOTABLY THAT BY MURRAY

SAYLE IN THE SUNDAY TIMES ON 23 JANUARY

3 VERY FEW PEOPLE AT LEAST AT SENIOR LEVELS PLACE MUCH CONFIDENCE

IN THE LONG-TERM VALUE OF CHINA'S ASSURANCES AND MANY

WHO CAN AFFORD IT ARE QUIETLY MAKING PLANS TO HAVE A PLACE TO

WHICH THEY CAN EMIGRATE IN A FEW YEARS' TIME. BUT THEY PLAN TO

REMAIN IN HONG KONG FOR THE TIME BEING FOR THEY DISLIKE THE IDEA

OF LEAVING AND ARE CONFIDENT THAT PROFITS CAN STILL BE MADE OVER

THE NEXT FEW YEARS. OTHERS ARE SENDING THEIR CHILDREN OVERSEAS

FOR EDUCATION IN THE HOPE THAT THEIR CHILDREN MAY SETTLE THERE

AND BE JOINED BY THEIR PARENTS LATER. THIS PERHAPS EXPLAINS WHY

POLITICAL UNCERTAINTY DOES NOT AT PRESENT SEEM TO AFFECT THE

IMMEDIATE ECONOMIC OUTLOOK (SEE PARAS 7-11 BELOW).

4. THE GREAT MAJORITY OF PEOPLE WHO CANNOT REALISTICALLY EXPECT

TO SETTLE ELSEWHERE ARE WAITING ANXIOUSLY FOR SOME OFFICIAL

ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT THE RESULTS OF THE TALKS WITH CHINA MANY

RETAIN A HOPE THAT HMG WILL SOMEHOW FIND A WAY OF HOLDING THE

CHINESE TO THEIR PROMISES PERHAPS THROUGH INTERNATIONAL GUARANTEES.

THERE IS ALSO CONSIDERABLE INTEREST IN THE POSSIBILITY OF EXPANDING

LOCAL DEMOCRATIC PROCESSES BETWEEN NOW AND 1997 IN THE HOPE THAT

THE CHINESE WILL RESPECT WHAT THEY FIND WHEN THE TIMES COMES.

THE CHIEF SECRETARY'S ANNOUNCEMENT ON 15 FEBRUARY OF AN INCREASE

IN THE NUMBER OF ELECTED MEMBERS TO DISTRICT BOADS WAS WIDELY

INTERPRETED AS A MOVE IN THIS DIRECTION

5. AT DISTRICT LEVEL WORRIES ABOUT THE FUTURE SEEM TO BE LESS

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