TNAG-1882-FCO40-2673-Relations-between-Hong-Kong-and-China-Chinese-complaints-con-1989 — Page 19

CONFIDENTIAL

HKB 0 20/23

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 3862

OF 22113OZ NOVEMBER 89

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING

INFO PRIORITY UKREP. JLG HONG KONG

ن

17

025046

MDHIAN 5637

PEKING TELNO 2032: PEOPLE'S DAILY COMMENTATOR ARTICLE

I SEE THAT THE INDEPENDENT OF 21 NOVEMBER CARRIES AN ARTICLE BY THEIR PEKING CORRESPONDENT, ANDREW HIGGINS, CLAIMING THAT THE COMMENTATOR ARTICLE REPORTED IN TUR ''SEEMED AIMED MAINLY AT

THE HONG KONG GOVERNOR .. WHO ENRAGED CHINA BY SPEAKING ABOUT

THE COLONY'S CRISIS OF CONFIDENCE DURING A RECENT TRIP TO THE UNITED STATES''.

2.

THIS IS NOT HOW I READ THE ARTICLE. SO FAR AS I CAN SEE ALL THE QUOTATIONS WHICH ARE ATTACKED COME FROM OTHER SOURCES, ALTHOUGH

I COULD BE INCLUDED IN THOSE GUILTY OF PLAYING THE QUOTE CONFIDENCE CARD QUOTE OR THE QUOTE PUBLIC OPINION CARD QUOTE.

3. IT IS ODD THAT HIGGINS SHOULD DRAW THIS CONCLUSION. I

SHOULD BE INTERESTED IF PEKING COULD DISCOVER WHETHER HE HAD

THIS INTERPRETATION PUT TO HIM BY ANY CHINESE SOURCE.

WILSON

YYYY

MAIN

58

DISTRIBUTION

61

.HONG KONG AGREEMENT

.(RESTRICTED)

LIMITED

HKD

HD/FED

RESEARCH (FE)

PUSD

ADDITIONAL.

3

NEWS D

PS/MR MAUDE

PS/LORD BRABAZON

MR GILLMORE

MR MCLAREN

MR MOSS

MR EDWARDS LEGAL ADV

MR WHOMERSLEY LEGAL ADV

MR FIFOOT HKD

NNNN

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CONFIDENTIAL