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5. THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT AND THE CHINESE CORPORATIONS CONCERNED WOULD TAKE ALL NECESSARY AND POSSIBLE MEASURES TO ALLAY PUBLIC FEARS IN HONG KONG. BUT IT WAS ESSENTIAL THAT THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT (HE USED THIS TERM) SHOULD ADOPT A FIRM ATTITUDE TO ALLAY FEARS AROUSED BY THE ANTI-NUCLEAR MOVEMENT. CHINA WAS APPRECIATIVE OF THE EFFORTS WHICH THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WAS MAKING TO ARRANGE TOURS OF NUCLEAR INSTALLATIONS IN FRANCE. HE WAS SURE THAT THIS WOULD HELP TO ELIMINATE DOUBTS IN HONG KONG AS TO THE SAFETY OF NUCLEAR POWER STATIONS.
6. FOR ITS PART, CHINA WOULD CONTINUE TO MAKE EFFORTS BOTH TO REASSURE PUBLIC OPINION AND TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF THE DAYA BAY PLANT. HE MENTIONED THREE STEPS IN THIS CONNECTION
(1) NEW REGULATIONS ON SITE SELECTION, DESIGN, PREPARATION AND
QUALITY HAD BEEN APPROVED ON 7 JULY AND PUBLICISED IN THE
CHINESE PRESS ON 18 JULY.
(2) THE NATIONAL NUCLEAR SAFETY ADMINISTRATION AND THE FRENCH NUCLEAR SAFETY COMMITTEE HAD SIGNED A LETTER OF INTENT ON CO-OPERATION OF SAFETY APPRAISAL AND PUBLICITY HAD ALSO BEEN GIVEN TO THIS AGREEMENT (COPIES OF THE PRESS ARTICLES AND XINHUA RELEASES FOLLOW BY BAG).
(3) CHINA WAS READY TO PROVIDE EXPERTISE AND TO SEND NUCLEAR EXPERTS
FOR DISCUSSIONS WITH AND TO PROVIDE TECHNICAL EXPLANATIONS TO PEOPLE CONCERNED IN HONG KONG. IF INFLUENTIAL PEOPLE IN HONG KONG WOULD LIKE TO COME TO PEKING TO LEARN ABOUT CHINESE NUCLEAR POLICY AND SAFETY REGULATIONS, THEN THAT TOO COULD BE ARRANGED AFTER CONSULTATION BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES.
7. FINALLY, THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT BELIEVED THAT THE CONCERN IN HONG KONG WAS MAINLY DUE TO THE RECENT ACCIDENT IN THE USSR. PROVIDED BRITAIN AND CHINA CO-OPERATED CLOSELY AND PATENTLY EXPLAINED THE SITUATION THEN APART FROM A SMALL MINORITY WITH ULTERIOR MOTIVES, THE MOJORITY OF PEOPLE IN HONG KONG WOULD EVENTUALLY REALISE WHAT WAS REALLY GOING ON AND WOULD CHANGE THEIR MINDS IN FAVOUR OF OR AT LEAST WOULD NOT OPPOSE THE PROJECT.
8. 1 THANKED ZHOU FOR THIS IMPORTANT MESSAGE AND PROMPT RESPONSE TO THE POINTS WHICH I HAD RAISED WITH LI PENG ON 14 JULY AND UNDERTOOK TO REPORT. I EMPHASISED THAT THERE WAS STILL MUCH ANXIETY IN HONG KONG AND POINTED OUT TO HIM REPORTS IN THE SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST THAT AN OPINION POLL IN HONG KONG HAD SHOWN 70% ACAINST THE DAYA BAY PROJECT. THERE WAS THEREFORE A REAL TAKS TO UNDERTAKE. I ALSO ASKED IF HE SAW ANY OBJECTION TO OUR SAYING RATHER MORE TO THE PRESS ACOUT THE MEETING WITH LI PENG (I DREW ON YOUR TELNO.717) AND ASKED HIM IF HE COULD CONFIRM PRESS REPORTS THAT CHINA HAD AGREED TO THE RELEASE BY THE HONG KONG NUCLEAR INVESTMENT COMPANY OF THE FEASI- SILITY STUDY TO MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.
9. IN RESPONSE, ZHOU PING REITERATED THAT THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT WERE WELL AWARE OF THE CONCERN IN HONG KONG. BUT, AS LI PENG HAD
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