TNAG-1850-FCO40-2625-House-of-Commons-Select-Committee-on-Foreign-Affairs-enquiry-1989 — Page 141

1

1

A:

EFFECT ON HONG KONG OF RECENT EVENTS IN CHINA

SIGNIFICANCE OF THESE EVENTS

Too early to assess significance of these events. pleased that situation has resolved itself peacefully.]

[Naturally

Always recognised that economic reform would create pressure for political change. How to accommodate this pressure is one of challenges facing Chinese leadership.

WERE YOU SURPRISED BY STRENGTH OF REACTION IN HONG KONG?

Everyone was surprised by the scale of the demonstrations. Greater than anything before, despite typhoon conditions.

Natural that Hong Kong people should feel concern about events in China and should want to express their feelings publicly.

Impressed by orderly and restrained way in which they did so.

HAVE EVENTS IN CHINA FINALLY 'POLITICISED' HONG KONG?

Difficult to say at this stage whether attitudes in Hong Kong

have been fundamentally changed.

Demonstrations

Reaction in Hong Kong seems to have been above all expression of solidarity with fellow Chinese, rather than reflection of

specifically Hong Kong preoccupations. But people in Hong Kong are Bimusly conceived about implications for Hong Kong'

са

Kory's

HAVE EVENTS IN CHINA SERIOUSLY DAMAGED CONFIDENCE?

's on

Porture.

In short term would expect these events to have shaken confidence (erratic performance of Hang Seng Index shows that).