TNAG-2079-FCO40-2959-Hong-Kong-press-coverage-and-reports-1990 — Page 362

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MDLIAN 6171

WERE WIDELY SUPPORTED BY HONG KONG PEOPLE. HOWEVER, IN VIEW OF THE STRAINED SINO-HONG KONG RELATIONS, IT WOULD BE FUTILE FOR HONG KONG

TO ANTAGONISE CHINA.

8. HIGH-RANKING CHINESE OFFICIALS TOLD SING TAO JIH PAO (5.2) THAT

THE BLDC AND THE BLCC WOULD BE DISBANDED AFTER THE PROMULGATION OF THE BASIC LAW AND THAT A NEW ADVISORY BODY WOULD BE FORMED DURING THE TRANSITION. THE PAPER SAID THAT THE CHINESE HAD WORKED OUT THREE OPTIONS FOR THE FORMATION OF THE ADVISORY BODY, WHICH WERE BEING CONSIDERED BY VARIOUS SECTORS. ONE OF THE OPTIONS WAS THAT THE ADVISORY BODY WOULD BE UNDER THE STATE COUNCIL. THE SECOND PROPOSAL WAS THAT THE BODY WOULD BE APPOINTED BY THE NPC. THE THIRD OPTION WAS THAT THE BODY WOULD BE FORMED BY COMMUNITY GROUPS IN

HONG KONG.

NATIONALITY

9. A SPOKESMAN FOR THE CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY HAD WARNED THE U.S.

NOT TO FOLLOW BRITAIN'S EXAMPLE OF OFFERING PASSPORTS OR THE RIGHT OF ABODE TO HONG KONG PEOPLE, THE MEDIA REPORTED. THE OFFICIAL SAID THAT SUCH A MOVE WOULD AFFECT HONG KONG'S STABILITY AND PROSPERITY AND UNDERMINE SINO-U.S. RELATIONS. HE STRESSED THAT ANY COUNTRY WHICH GRANTED ITS ABODE RIGHTS TO HONG KONG PEOPLE MUST SHOULDER ALL CONSEQUENCES AND THAT CHINA WOULD RESERVE THE RIGHT TO TAKE CORRESPONDING MEASURES.

10.

OFFICALS OF THE AUSTRALIAN CONSULATE IN HONG KONG EXPECTED THAT THERE WOULD BE A SHARP INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF HONG KONG PEOPLE ALLOWED TO SETTLE IN THE COUNTRY THIS YEAR, RADIO 3 REPORTED. THEY EXPECTED THAT SOME 15,000 IMMIGRANT VISAS WOULD BE ISSUED TO HONG KONG PEOPLE THIS YEAR, A 14 PER CENT INCREASE OVER LAST YEAR. A NUMBER OF PAPERS (6.2) REPORTED THAT THE FRENCH GOVERNMENT PLANNED TO GIVE THE RIGHT OF ABODE IN FRANCE TO SOME 1,200 HONG KONG EMPLOYEES OF FRENCH FIRMS IN THE TERRITORY. THE NUMBER OF PASSPORTS TO BE OFFERED REPRESENTED ABOUT 12 PER CENT OF LOCAL EMPLOYEES IN FRENCH FIRMS.

ZHOU NAN

11. THE NEW DIRECTOR OF THE NCNA HONG KONG BRANCH, ZHOU NAN, HAD ARRIVED HERE, THE MEDIA (6.2) REPORTED. SPEAKING TO REPORTERS ON HIS ARRIVAL IN HONG KONG, ZHOU SAID THAT WINTER HAD GONE AND SPRING WAS APPROACHING. HE SAID THAT A GOOD WORKING RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CHINA AND BRITAIN WOULD BE AN IMPORTANT GUARANTEE OF HONG KONG'S STABILITY AND PROSPERITY.

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