UNCLASSIFIED
136404
MDLIAN 5114
DAILY NEWS (7.7) QUOTED THE WEST GERMAN CONSUL-GENERAL IN HONG KONG AS DENYING THE REPORT. HE SAID THAT HONG KONG PEOPLE MIGHT BE GIVEN WORK PERMITS BUT NOT PASSPORTS OR EVEN RESIDENCY RIGHT.
MAUDE'S VISIT TO PEKING
5. FCO MINISTER FRANCIS MAUDE WOULD DISCUSS WITH CHINESE OFFICIALS THE AIRPORT PROJECT IN HONG KONG DURING HIS VISIT TO PEKING LATER THIS MONTH, CHING PO (10.7) REPORTED. THE PAPER SAID THAT MR MAUDE HOPED THAT CHINA WOULD PROMPTLY TAKE CONCRETE ACTION TO SUPPORT THE INFRASTRUCTURAL PROJECT. THE BRITISH SIDE BELIEVED THAT SUCH A MOVE WOULD STIMULATE THE CONFIDENCE OF THE PRIVATE SECTOR AND WOULD MAKE THE CONSTRUCTION WORK SMOOTHER. SENIOR LEGCO MEMBER ALLEN LEE SAID THAT THE MINISTER'S COMING VISIT TO PEKING WOULD BE THE FIRST STEP TO RESUME HIGH-LEVEL CONTACTS BETWEEN CHINA AND BRITAIN, WEN WEI PO (7.7)
REPORTED.
NCNA VICE-DIRECTOR
6. A VICE-DIRECTOR OF THE NCNA HONG KONG BRANCH, ZHANG JUNSHENG, SAID THAT THE PRESENT SINO-HONG KONG RELATIONS WERE BETTER THAN THOSE IN THE SAME PERIOD LAST YEAR, THE HONG KONG ECONOMIC JOURNAL (9.7) REPORTED. IN AN INTERVIEW WITH THE PAPER, HE SAID HE BELIEVED THAT IF THE BRITISH HAD THE SINCERITY TO RESUME THEIR PAST CO-OPERATIVE RELATIONSHIP, CHINA WOULD RESPOND POSITIVELY. ZHANG SAID THAT THE CHINESE HAD NOT ASKED THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT TO DISCUSS EVERYTHING WITH THEM IN THE TRANSITION. THEY HAD DEMANDED DISCUSSIONS ONLY ON ISSUES THAT WENT BEYOND 1997 AND INVOLVED THE TRANSFER OF SOVEREIGNTY. HE MADE IT CLEAR THAT THERE WAS NO QUESTION OF CHINA INTENDING TO ADVANCE THE DATE OF THE CHANGEOVER OR ADMINISTER HONG KONG JOINTLY WITH THE BRITISH.
FUTURE POLITICAL STRUCTURE
7. FUTURE OPPOSITION LEADERS OF LEGCO MIGHT BE APPOINTED TO EXCO AS HONG KONG MOVED TOWARDS AN AMERICAN-STYLE GOVERNMENT, THE SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST (5.7) REPORTED. THE PAPER UNDERSTOOD THAT THE GOVERNOR AND EXCO MEMBERS RECENTLY HELD AN INFORMAL MEETING ON HONG KONG'S FUTURE POLITICAL REFORM. A SOURCE SAID THAT THE REDUCTION OF APPOINTED OFFICIALS SITTING ON LEGCO FROM 1991 WOULD HAVE A PROFOUND IMPACT ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN EXCO AND LEGCO. THEREFORE, THE GOVERNMENT MUST REVIEW THEIR RELATIONSHIP. TO ENSURE THAT BILLS PROPOSED BY EXCO WOULD GET THROUGH LEGCO, THE ADMINISTRATION WAS PREPARED TO APPOINT PEOPLE TO EXCO WITH INFLUENCE ON LEGCO TO MAXIMISE CHANCES OF WINNING MAJORITY VOTES.
REPLACEMENT AIRPORT
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