TNAG-2079-FCO40-2959-Hong-Kong-press-coverage-and-reports-1990 — Page 371

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FM HONG KONG

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INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON, PEKING

INFO ROUTINE UKREP JLG HONG KONG, HKGO WASHINGTON, HKGO NEW YORK INFO ROUTINE HKGO SAN FRANCISCO, HKGO BRUSSELS, HKGO GENEVA INFO ROUTINE UKMIS GENEVA

HONG KONG AGREEMENT: PRESS COVERAGE: WEEKLY ROUNDUP

SUMMARY

1. THE GOVERNOR'S TRIP TO PEKING AND THE VISIT BY FOREIGN SECRETARY DOUGLAS HURD TO THE TERRITORY DOMINATED MEDIA COVERAGE.

GOVERNOR'S PEKING VISIT

2. THE MEDIA (11-13.1) ACCORDED PROMINENT AND EXTENSIVE COVERAGE TO THE GOVERNOR'S VISIT TO PEKING AND HIS MEETINGS WITH SENIOR CHINESE OFFICIALS, INCLUDING LI PENG. MOST REPORTS NOTED THE CRITICAL COMMENTS OF LI HOU UNDER THE GUISE OF DISCUSSING THE WEATHER AND THE GOVERNOR'S FIRM RESPONSE.

3. LI PENG SAID THAT HE HAD TOLD THE GOVERNOR THAT HONG KONG'S STABILITY AND PROSPERITY WERE WHERE THE INTERESTS OF CHINA LAY. HE SAID THAT CHINA'S DEVELOPMENTS NEEDED HONG KONG'S ASSISTANCE. SOME PAPERS (16.1) REPORTED THAT LI TOLD THE GOVERNOR THAT CHINA WOULD NOT OFFER FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO HONG KONG'S PLANNED INFRASTRUCTURAL PROJECTS.

4. WEN WEI PO (12.1) REPORTED THAT THE GOVERNOR AND SENIOR CHINESE OFFICIALS DISCUSSED PRACTICAL ISSUES RELATING TO THE POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT AND THE CONVERGENCE QUESTION. THESE INCLUDED THE NUMBER OF DIRECTLY ELECTED LEGCO SEATS IN 1991, THE ARRANGEMENTS FOR HONG KONG'S POLITICAL SYSTEM IN 1995, THE CONVERGENCE OF POLITICAL SYSTEMS BEFORE AND AFTER 1997 AND THE IDEA OF A 10-YEAR STABLE PERIOD AFTER 1997. ALTHOUGH A CONSENSUS ON PRACTICAL DETAILS COULD NOT BE REACHED AT THE MEETINGS, IT WAS CLEAR THAT THE CENTRAL THEME OF THE MEETING WAS HOW THE PRE-1997 POLITICAL SYSTEM WAS TO CONVERGE WITH THE BASIC LAW. IT WAS GENERALLY BELIEVED THAT VIEWS HAD BEEN EXCHANGED ON HONG KONG'S CURRENT SITUATION BY BOTH SIDES. THESE INCLUDED THE INTERNATIONALISATION OF THE HONG KONG QUESTION, THE BRITISH NATIONALITY PACKAGE, THE VBP PROBLEM AND HONG KONG'S

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