TNAG-1639-FCO40-2284-Future-of-Hong-Kong-withdrawal-of-the-British-garrison-1987 — Page 36

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TOS COP C DIST?

TODIST

438

011644

MDLIAN 1104

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FM HONG KONG

TO PRIORITY FCO

TELNO 3213

OF 271005Z AUGUST 87

INFO ROUTINE PEKING

HKC 062/1 нис

RECEIVED IN REGISTIC

28 AUG 1987

*C OFFICER

PA

DEFENCE AND PUBLIC ORDER: PRESS COVERAGE

MIFT CONTAINS TEXT OF AN ARTICLE APPEARING IN TODAY'S HK STANDARD ENTITLED QUOTE TROOP PULL-OUT STARTS IN 1989, BUT NO AGREEMENT YET FROM CHINA UNQOTE

2. THE AUTHOR, DAVID WONG, ALSO WROTE THE ARTICLE SENT TO YOU IN OUR TELNO 2911. HE HAS VERY CLOSE CONTACTS WITH THE NCNA, WHICH MAY BE USING HIM AS A MEANS OF PASSING MESSAGES.

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3. ALTHOUGH THE ARTICLE REFERS TO DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE CHINESE AND BRITISH SIDES, IT DOES NOT TRY TO HIGHLIGHT THESE UNLIKE LAST WEEK'S SCMP ARTICLE REPORTED IN OUR TELNO 3091 RATHER IT SEEMS TO BE ARGUING THE CASE THAT WHILE CHINESE CONCERNS ABOUT WITHDRAWAL OF THE GARRISON ARE GENUINE, THE CHINESE SIDE IS NOT INFLEXIBLE AND IS LOOKING TO MAKE PROGRESS. THE FINAL STATEMENT THAT THE CHINESE SIDE HAS ALREADY ACCEPTED THE PLAN FOR EXPANDING THE POLICE FORCE MAY BE SIGNIFICANT IF IT DOES INDEED COME FROM A CHINESE SOURCE. IT WOULD BE THE FIRST TIME THEY HAVE SAID THIS PUBLICLY AND WITHOUT RESERVATION.

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ALTHOUGH THE CHINESE USE OF THE PRESS, RATHER THAN DIRECT CONTACT WITH US, IS NOT USUALLY WELCOME, THIS ARTICLE MAY BE AN ATTEMPT BY THE CHINESE SIDE TO INDICATE THAT THEY ARE GENUINELY LOOKING FOR PROGRESS AT THE NEXT ROUND OF EXPERT TALKS. ON THE OTHER HAND, IT MAY JUST BE AN EFFORT TO CORRECT THE RATHER NEGATIVE IMPRESSION GIVEN BY LAST WEEK'S SCMP ARTICLE.

5. ALSO ON THE FRONT PAGE OF THE HK STANDARD WAS AN ARTICLE ON THE CENTRAL-WANCHAI RECLAMATION PROPOSAL, HIGHLIGHTING THE POSSIBLE EFFECT ON HMS TAMAR. THE ARTICLE WAS PROMPTED BY AN ANNOUNCEMENT FROM THE TERRITORY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT THAT A FEASIBILITY STUDY IS TO BE COMMISSIONED ON THE PROPOSAL NEXT MONTH. THERE WAS NO SIGNIFICANCE IN THE TIMING OF THE ANNOUNCEMENT: IT IS JUST ANOTHER STEP IN THE PLANNING PROCESS. THE ARTICLE REPORTS CORRECTLY THAT THE PROPOSAL IS

JUST ONE OPTION ARISING FROM THE TERRITORY DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY STUDY. IT WILL HOWEVER LEND FURTHER CREDIBILITY TO OUR PLANNED

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