TNAG-1322-FCO40-1728-Future-of-Hong-Kong-opinion-polls-and-surveys-1984 — Page 286

CONFIDENTIAL

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RICHARD LUCE

DESK OFFICER

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Action

FUTURE OF HONG KONG:

STATE OF PUBLIC OPINION

REGIS VISE if

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1.

We have commissioned a regular series of reports from Hong

Kong on the debate in the territory about the future, so that

Ministers can keep in touch with developments. We regard the

Secretary of State's unveiling statement in April as beginning

the period over which acceptability can be tested. We shall need

to be able to show, in November, that Ministers have kept abreast

of the state of opinion in the territory during that period, both

through visits and be receiving reports from Hong Kong (Mr Clift's

A minute of 26 June).

2.

I submit the latest in this series of

TREGISTRY

Sonthat

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY 17 SEP 1984 reports FICHES.

attention in the territory over the last eWeeks has focussed

PA

n

the question of the joint group to be established in the territory

in the transitional period. Many newspapers have called on the British

Government to reject the group, but others accept that a group is

inevitable and urge Britain to limit its terms of reference. The

assurance by a senior NCNA official that the group would not be

watchdog over the Hong Kong government has succeeded in reassuring

some sections of opinion. There have been no other noteworthy

proposals on the future of Hong Kong.

3. The Hong Kong dollar and the stock market have suffered from

jitters as a result of uncertainty about progress in the talks.

Nervousness among the population continues. Reaction to the public-

ation of the Green Paper on representative government and the

announcement of the test of acceptability has been noted.

4.

as

level

Debate on

on the future continues at approximately the

at the time of the last report. We can, however, expect an

CONFIDENTIAL

/upturn