TNAG-2275-FCO40-3274-Hong-Kong-and-the-media-1991 — Page 109

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INFO ROUTINE HKGO LONDON, PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG

INFO ROUTINE HKGO WASHINGTON, HKGO NEW YORK, HKGO SAN FRANCISCO INFO ROUTINE HKGO GENEVA, UKMIS GENEVA

(CORRECTED VERSION)

HONG KONG AGREEMENT: PRESS COVERAGE: WEEKLY ROUNDUP

SUMMARY

1. THE GOVERNOR'S VISIT TO PEKING WAS PROMINENTLY AND WIDELY REPORTED, FOCUSING ON DISCUSSIONS ON THE AIRPORT PROJECT.

GOVERNOR'S VISIT TO PEKING

2. BOTH SIR DAVID AND LU PING, STRESSED THAT THE MAINTENANCE OF HONG KONG'S LONG-TERM PROSPERITY AND STABILITY WAS THE COMMON OBJECTIVE OF THE TWO COUNTRIES. JI PENGFEI STRESSED THAT THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT'S POLICY OF 'ONE COUNTRY, TWO SYSTEMS' WOULD REMAIN UNCHANGED AND THAT SINCE THE CHINESE AND BRITISH GOVERNMENTS HOPED THAT HONG KONG WOULD CONTINUE TO PROSPER AND REMAIN STABLE, BOTH COUNTRIES SHOULD INCREASE CO-OPERATION FOR THE FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE JD IN THE NEXT SIX YEARS. LI PENG WAS QUOTED AS SAYING THAT THE CHINESE WERE CONCERNED ABOUT WHETHER THEY COULD FIND THE BEST PLAN FOR HONG KONG'S AIRPORT PROJECT, WHICH WOULD INVOLVE LESS INVESTMENT, BE HIGHLY COST- EFFECTIVE, BENEFIT HONG KONG PEOPLE AND WOULD NOT CREATE A FINANCIAL BURDEN ON THE FUTURE SAR GOVERNMENT. HE MADE CLEAR THAT THE CHINESE DID NOT HAVE PRIVATE INTEREST IN THIS PROJECT. TIAN ZENGPEI SAID THAT THE VISIT BY SIR DAVID WAS USEFUL IN IMPROVING MUTUAL UNDERSTANDINGS AND THAT THE CHINESE HOPED THAT THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT WOULD BE AN EFFECTIVE ADMINISTRATION. HOWEVER, ON MATTERS WHICH STRADDLED 1997 OR AFFECTED A SMOOTH TRANSFER IN 1997, BOTH SIDES SHOULD CONDUCT CONSULTATIONS AND DISCUSSIONS TO HAMMER OUT THE BEST SOLUTIONS. A SPOKESMAN FOR CHINA'S FOREIGN MINISTRY, LI SHAOXING, SAID THAT THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT HAD ALWAYS ABIDED BY THE JD TO STRIVE FOR HONG KONG'S STABILITY AND PROSPERITY AS WELL AS A SMOOTH TRANSFER.

3. LEGCO MEMBER EDWARD HO SAID HE HAD AN IMPRESSION THAT THE

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