TNAG-1416-FCO40-1897-The-financial-activities-of-Xu-Jiatun--Head-of-New-China-New-1985 — Page 4

GRS 200

14

UNCLASSIFIED

FM HONG KONG

TO DESKBY 22120OZ FCO

TELNO 2616

OF 22101OZ NOVEMBER 85

INFO DESKBY 22120OZ PEKING

HKK 104/3

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY 25 NOV 1985

TOP COPY

STRY

: Taken

AJB 25

MY TELNO 2613: PRESS CONFERENCE BY XU JIATUN: ROLE OF NCNA

1. IN RESPONSE TO QUESTIONS FROM THE TIN TIN DAILY, THE HONG KONG ECONOMIC JOURNAL AND THE EXPRESS, ON THE ROLE OF NCNA, THE MAIN POINTS MADE BY XU WERE AS FOLLOWS:

(A) IN ADDITION TO BEING A NEWS AGENCY, NCNA IS ALSO AN ORGAN

SET UP BY THE STATE COUNCIL.

(B) NCNA IS NOT A SECOND CENTRE OF POWER IN HONG KONG. THE SINO- BRITISH JOINT DECLARATION STATES CLEARLY THAT BRITAIN IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF HONG KONG UNTIL 1997.

(C) PROVIDED THE ADMINISTRATION OF HONG KONG WAS CONDUCTED IN THE INTERESTS OF STABILITY AND PROSPERITY, IN A MANNER FAVOURABLE TO THE HANDOVER OF POWER AFTER 1997, THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT WOULD WHERE NECESSARY GIVE ITS SUPPORT AND COOPERATION. THIS WAS ALSO PROVIDED FOR IN THE JOINT

DECLARATION.

(D) THE LOCALISATION OF NCNA SHOULD NOT BE CONFUSED WITH HONG

KONG PEOPLE RUNNING HONG KONG. THESE WERE TWO SEPARATE

MATTERS.

YOUDE

HONG KONG AGREEMENT

LIMITED HD/HKD HD/FED

HD/PLANNING STAFF HD/PUSD

DEP HD/PUSD

RES D (MR WALKER)

PS

PS/MR FENTON

PS/PUS

SIR W HARDING

MR WILSON

SIR J FREELAND

MR J CROWLEY PUSD

COPIES TO: (VIA ADR)

MR ROBERTS NEWS DEPT MR FIFOOT LEGAL ADVS MR MARTIN ABST STAFF

CABINET OFFICE

MR MALLABY CABINET OFFICE MR DRC CHRISTOPHER

CABINET OFFICE SIR P CRADDOCK NO 10 DOWNING ST. MR WOOD LEGAL ADVISERS