TNAG-1320-FCO40-1726-Future-of-Hong-Kong-assessment-of-public-opinion-1984 — Page 6

GRS 2000

SECRET

SECRET IKK040/23

13 APR 134

FM HONG KONG 12090OZ APR 84

TO IMMEDIATE F C O

TELEGRAM NUMBER 1015 OF 12 APRIL

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING

14.25

л

141719

YOUR TELNO 625: FUTURE OF HONG KONG: ASSESSMENT OF PUBLIC

OPINION.

GENERAL

IN ASSESSING THE PROGRESS OF NEGOTIATIONS BETWEEN BRITAIN AND

CHINA ON THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG PEOPLE DEPEND ALMOST WHOLLY ON

STATEMENTS,, HINTS AND INDICATIONS FROM CHINESE SOURCES, AND ON

OPECULATIVE PRESS REPORTS. ACCORDING TO THE CHINESE VERSION, THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT HAS NOW CONCEDED SOVEREIGNTY AND RIGHTS OF

ADMIN STRATION OVER THE WHOLE OF HONG KONG WITH EFFECT FROM 1997, AS MR. WU MOST RECENTLY CLAIMED IN AUSTRIA. IN THE ABSENCE OF ANY

REGULAR OFFICIAL PROGRESS REPORTS, HONG KONG PEOPLE HAVE LITTLE

ALTERNATIVE BUT TO BELIEVE WHAT THE CHINESE PUT OUT, ESPECIALLY AS

IT IS RARELY CONTRADICTED OR DENIED. (THEY REMEMBER THAT MURRAY SAYLES'S ARTICLE IN THE SUNDAY TIMES ON 23 JANUARY ALSO WENT

UNDENIED: HONG KONG TELNO. 467, PARAGRAPH 2.)

2. THERE IS INCREASING RESENTMENT AGAINST WHAT IS SEEN AS THE

SELF-IMPOSED HANDICAP OF ONE-SIDED CONFIDENTIALITY, AND A MOUNTING FEELING THAT IT IS TIME FOR THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT TO REVEAL

SOMETHING OF WHAT IS BEING DISCUSSED. MR. ALLEN LEE HAS SAID THAT LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL UNOFFICIALS ARE FRUSTRATED AT BEING KEPT IN

THE DARK ON THE PROGRESS OF THE TALKS. SIR S.Y. CHUNG HAS SAID THAT

HONG KONG IS SUFFERING FROM A CONFIDENCE CRISIS BECAUSE OF THE

UNCERTAINTY OF ITS POLITICAL FUTURE. TODAY'S SOUTH CHINA MORNING

POST REFLECTS THE GEMERAL MOOD IN SAYING THAT HONG KONG IS BECOMING INCREASINGLY ANXIOUS AND ALARMED, AND THAT IT IS TIME TO LIFT THE

VEIL ON CONFIDENTIALITY AND GIVE THE PUBLIC SOME IDEA OF WHAT IS

BEING DISCUSSED AND WHAT PROGRESS IS BEING MADE.

3. THERE IS A WIDESPREAD EXPECTATION THAT YOUR VISIT WILL LEAD TO A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IS IN STORE FOR HONG KONG. THERE WAS INITIAL RESENTMENT THAT YOU CANNOT VISIT HONG KONG ON YOUR WAY TO

PEKING AS WELL AS AFTERWARDS. BUT THE RECENT EXCO VISIT TO LONDON

HAS GONE SOME WAY TO ASSUAGE LOCAL OPINION THAT YOU WILL BE AWARE OF

HONG KONG CONCERNS WHEN YOU GO TO PEKING.

4. CHINESE OFFICIALS CONTINUE TO WORK HARD TO CULTIVATE LOCAL CHINESE RESIDENTS AND TO ASSURE THEM THAT THEIR INTERESTS WILL NOT SUFFER. XU JIATUN CONTINUES TO SEEK TO CONVEY THE IMPRESSION OF BEING AM

ALTERNATIVE SCURCE OF AUTHORITY. THERE IS WIDESPREAD DISTRUST OF

THE COMMUNISTS. THINKING PEOPLE ARE WORRIED THAT THE CHINESE PLAN

SECRET

DEPENDS

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