TNAG-1621-FCO40-2235-Relations-between-Hong-Kong-and-China-1987 — Page 3

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OF 2709112 FEBRUARY 87

INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG

Hi China Relations.

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0 4 MAR 1287

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MIPT: REMARKS BY JI PENGFEI.

1. ON 21 FEBRUARY THE DIRECTOR OF THE HONG KONG AND MACAO AFFAIRS OFFICE OF THE STATE COUNCIL, JI PENGFEI WAS INTERVIEWED BY REPORTERS FROM THE BEIJING REVIEW AND REITERATED CHINA'S POLICY TOWARDS HONG KONG. THE FOLLOWING IS A FULL TEXT OF THE INTERVIEW.

QUESTION. SINCE THE PUBLICATION OF THE COMMUNIQUE OF THE ENLARGED MEETING OF THE POLITBURO OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE, ALL CIRCLES IN HONG KONG HAVE BEEN CONCERNED ABOUT THE QUESTIONS OF THE PERSONNEL CHANGES IN OUR CENTRAL COMMITTEE AND THE OPPOSITION TO BOURGEOIS LIBERALISATION, AND THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE WHO ARE WORRIED THAT CHINA WILL NOT BE ABLE TO CONTINUE WITH ITS POLICIES OF REFORM, THE OPEN

DOOR, AND INVIGORATING THE ECONOMY. WHAT IS YOUR VIEW ON THIS 7.

ANSWER. SUCH WORRIES ARE WITHOUT FOUNDATION. THE THIRD PLENUM OF

THE ELEVENTH CENTRAL COMMITTEE WHICH MET IN 1978 SUMMED UP OUR HISTORICAL EXPERIENCE AND, BASED ON THE ACTUAL SITUATION IN CHINA, PUT FORWARD THE LINE, DIRECTION AND POLICY OF BUILDING SOCIALISM

WITH CHINESE CHARACTERISTICS. THE BASIC ELEMENTS OF THIS LINE ARE:-

1) ADHERING TO THE FOUR CARDINAL PRINCIPLES., AND

11) ADHERING TO THE POLICY OF REFORM, THE OPEN DOOR AND INVIGORATING

THE ECONOMY.

THESE TWO ASPECTS ARE INTER-RELATED AND INSEPERABLE. THROUGH

FOLLOWING THIS LINE FOR THE PAST 8 YEARS, THE CONSTRUCTION OF

SOCIALIST MODERNISATION IN OUR CONTRY HAS ACHIEVED OUTSTANDING

RESULTS AS EVERYBODY RECOGNISES. WE WILL CONTINUE FOR A LONG-TIME

TO FOLLOW SUCH A LINE WHICH IS BENEFICIAL TO OUR COUNTRY AND TO QUR

PEOPLE. THE PERSONNEL CHANGES IN THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE AND THE

OPPOSITION TO BOURGEOIS LIBERALISATION WERE MADE IN ORDER TO

IMPLEMENT THE PARTY'S LINE OF THE THIRD PLENUM OF THE ELEVENTH

CENTRAL COMMITTEE IN AN ALL ROUND AND PRECISE WAY, AND THEY ARE NOT

INTENDED TO CHANGE THIS LINE.

QUESTION. SOME PEDIPLE ARE WORRIED THAT THE PERSONNEL CHANGES AND

THE OPPOSITION TO BOURGEOIS LIBERALISM COULD HAVE AN EFFECT ON OUR

POLICIES OF * ONE COUNTRY, TWO SYSTEMS AND OF GUARANTEEING THAT

THE CAPITALIST SYSTEM IN HONG KONG WILL REMAIN. UNCHANGED FOR 50

YEARS. WHAT IS YOUR OPINION ON THIS ?. -| -

lANSWER