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166175
MDTTAN 3082
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FM CANBERRA
HKB 020/5
RECEIVED IN "
2 OMAY 1991
fa Hu/02.
TO TELELETTER DPA HONG KONG.NEK
TELELETTER NFR
OF 030505Z MAY 91
INFO TELELETTER PEKING, FCO, UKREP JLG, BTC HONG KONG
TO: DPA HONG KONG
FROM: W C PATEY
COPIED TO: PEKING
FED, FCO
UKREP JLG HONG KONG
BTC HONG KONG
Sir J. Côten
Mr Sum it Paul Hry
3/5
Ms Fylkess
m
Mr Lyx
Ms. Major Mr Stone
4/5
VISIT OF AUSTRALIAN FOREIGN MINISTER TO CHINA: HONG KONG MATTERS
1. DAVID IRVINE, HEAD OF EAST ASIA BRANCH, DFAT GAVE ME A BRIEFING ON EVANS' DISCUSSIONS IN PEKING ON HONG KONG.
2.
FORTIFIED BY HIS BRIEFING FROM THE GOVERNOR PRIOR TO HIS
VISIT SENATOR EVANS MADE A STRONG PITCH FOR A MORE COOPERATIVE
CHINESE ATTITUDE OVER THE PADS PROJECT. HE SAID THAT HIS DISCUSSIONS WITH AUSTRALIAN COMPANIES, WHO EMPLOYED OVER 70,000 PEOPLE IN HONG KONG, IT WAS CLEAR THAT PADS REPRESENTED AN IMPORTANT SYMBOL FOR INVESTOR CONFIDENCE. AUSTRALIAN COMPANIES
WERE NOT PREPARED TO INVEST BECAUSE OF UNCERTAINTY OVER THE GROUND RULES. THE CHINESE DEMAND FOR CONSULTATIONS WAS SEEN AS A DEMAND
FOR A VETO.
3.
QIAN QICHEN HAD REPLIED THAT CHINA WAS IN FAVOUR OF THE
NEW AIRPORT BUT IT WAS THE BIGGEST CONSTRUCTION PROJECT EVER UNDERTAKEN IN HONG KONG. CONSTRUCTION WOULD LEAD TO HUGE DEBTS TO BE PAID AFTER 1997. IT WAS NOT THE UK THAT WOULD HAVE TO PAY.
IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR CHINA AND THE UK TO HOLD DISCUSSIONS ON MATTERS WHICH AHD IMPLICATIONS FOR HONG KONG BEYOND 1997. ALL CHINA WAS ASKING FOR WAS THE CONSULTATION RIGHTS PROVIDED FOR IN THE JOINT DECLARATION. QIAN QICHEN SAID CHINA DID NOT SEEK TO EXERCISE
A VETO. THE GAP BETWEEN THE SIDES WAS NARROWING AND HE WAS
OPTIMISTIC.
SIGNED W C PATEY
YYYY
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