TNAG-1622-FCO40-2236-Relations-between-Hong-Kong-and-China-1987 — Page 210

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TELNO 319

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57

OF 270716Z FEBRUARY 87

INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG, WASHINGTON, MOSCOW, TOKYO, UKDEL NATO

INFO SAVING SHANGHAI

MY T2ELNO 290: CHINA: POLITICAL SITUATION

1.

ACTING GENERAL SECRETARY AND PREMIER ZHAO ZIYANG HAS REITERATED IN CALM AND MEASURED TONES HIS REASSURING LINE ON DEVELOPMENTS IN

CHINA STATING THAT THE POLICIES OF REFORM AND OF OPENING TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD WERE IRREVERSIBLE. THE ARMED FORCES HAVE ASSUMED A

HIGHER POLITICAL PROFILE WHICH MAY NOT BE SO WELCOME TO THE

REFORMERS.

DETAIL

2. ON 24 FEBRUARY ZHAO ZIYANG TOLD AN AMERICAN ACADEMIC THAT THE

CHINESE LEADERSHIP HAD NO INTENTION OF CHANGING PRESENT POLICY AND

THAT THERE WAS NO BASIS FOR SUCH A CHANGE AMONG THE CHINESE PEOPLE.

THE STRUGGLE AGAINST BOURGEOIS LIBERALISATION HAD A STRICT MEANING

THAT IS WHETHER LEADERSHIP BY THE CHINESE COMMUNIST PARTY SHOULD BE

UPHELD AND WHETHER THE SOCIALIST SYSTEM SHOULD BE ADHERED TO IN

CHINA. THE LINE SINCE THE THIRD PLENUM BOILED DOWN TO TWO POINTS, ADHERING TO THE FOUR CARDINAL PRINCIPLES AND CARRYING OUT REFORM.

THESE TWO WERE INSEPERABLE. DURING THE LONG PROCESS OF BUILDING

SOCIALSIM WITH CHINESE CHARACTERISTICS SOMETIMES THERE WAS MORE

TALKS OF BOURGEOIS LIBERALISATION, SOMETIMES MORE ABOUT REFORM, THE

OPEN POLICY AND THE POLICY OF INVIGORATING THE ECONOMY.

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3. IN A SIMILAR VEIN THERE HAVE BEEN A NUMBER OF PUBLIC STATEMENTS

BY RELATIVELY SENIOR CHINESE OFFICIALS DEFINING FAIRLY TIGHTLY THE

LIMITATIONS ON THE STRUGGLE AGAINST BOURGEOIS LIBERALISATION IN

FIELDS SUCH AS MANAGEMENT REFORM, RELIGIOUS AND ARTISTIC POLICY, AND TRADE UNION AFFAIRS.

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4. SET SOMEWHAT AGAINST THIS HAS BEEN THE RAISING OF THE POLITICAL

PROMINENCE GIVEN TO THE ARMED FORCES THROUGH THE PARTY CENTRAL COMMITTEE'S NOTICE PUBLICISED ON 26 FEBRUARY, RECOMMENDING THE MILITARY COMMISIONS DECISION ON POLITICAL WORK IN THE ARMED FORCES

IN THE NEW ERA TO ALL LOCALITIES AND DEPARTMENTS AS A USEFUL AID

IN MAKING A GOOD JOB OF POLITICAL WORK. SINCE THE ARMED FORCES HAD ALREADY HINTED THAT THEY INTENDED TO CAPRY POLITICAL WORK IN THE PPESENT STRUGGLE SOMEWHAT BEYOND THE STRICT PARTY LIMITS LAID DOWN BY ZHAO ZIYANG IN JANUARY (MY TELNO 251), THIS DECISION WILL PROBABLY NOT BE ENTIRELY WELCOME TO THE REFORMERS. THE ANNONCEMENT WAS ACCOMPANIED BY A PEOPLE'S DAILY COMMENTARY WHICH GENERALLY FOLLOWED THE LINE OF CAREFULLY RALANCING REFERENCES TO THE FOUR CARDINAL PRINCIPLES AND TO REFORM. BUT IN RATHER STRONGER TERMS IT ADDED THAT IN THE PROCESS OF OPENING UP AND INVIGORATING THE ECONOMY

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