TNAG-2292-FCO40-3304-Official-visits-from-Hong-Kong-to-China-1991 — Page 139

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INFO PRIORITY PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG

OMELCO VISIT TO GUANGDONG 11

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12 JANUARY

1. YOU MAY WISH TO KNOW THAT 25 OMELCO MEMBERS WILL BE VISITING

DONGGUAN AND SHUNDE LATER THIS WEEK. THEY WILL BE VISITING

INDUSTRIAL ESTABLISHMENTS WITH HONG KONG INVESTMENT AND WILL BE

ACCOMPANIED BY 2 OMELCO STAFF MEMBERS.

2. THIS IS A PRIVATE VISIT HEADED BY ALLEN LEE AND ORGANISED THROUGH A TRAVEL AGENT RATHER THAN THROUGH NCNA. (THIS IS A CONVENIENT WAY OF ALLOWING THE CHINESE TO MAINTAIN THAT OMELCO MEMBERS, WHOM THEY DO NOT REGARD AS REPRESENTATIVES OF THE HONG KONG PUBLIC, CANNOT VISIT CHINA UNDER THE OMELCO BANNER). A REPORT IN WEN WEI PO OF 7 JANUARY STATES THAT THE PRIVATE NATURE

OF THE VISIT IS THE REASON WHY DONGGUAN AND SHUNDE OFFICIALS ARE

QUOTE BY CHANCE UNQUOTE AWAY ON OFFICIAL BUSINESS AND UNABLE TO SEE THE DELEGATION. THE ARTICLE CONTRASTS THIS WITH A DELEGATION FROM THE ASSOCIATION OF EXPERTS FOR MODERNISATION LTD (A PRO- CHINA ORGANISATION IN WHICH LEUNG CHUN-YING IS INVOLVED), WHO ARE TRAVELLING TO DONGGUAN ONE DAY AFTER THE OMELCO DELEGATION. THEY

WILL BE RECEIVED BY A DEPUTY MAYOR.

3. TODAY'S (8 JANUARY) PRESS REPORTS WIDELY THAT REPORTERS WILL BE BARRED FROM COVERING THE OMELCO VISIT BECAUSE IT IS UNOFFICIAL. CHINESE REGULATIONS ALSO BAN REPORTERS WHO ARE IN

CHINA AS TOURISTS OR VISITING RELATIVES FROM NEWS GATHERING

ACTIVITIES. NEWS ORGANISATIONS HAVE TO SUBMIT APPLICATIONS FOR

COVERING AN EVENT 15 DAYS IN ADVANCE. ALLEN LEE IS REPORTED AS

SAYING THAT THE BAN ON REPORTING WAS A MATTER BETWEEN NCNA AND THE PRESS.

COMMENT

4. THIS VISIT HAS CAUSED A GOOD DEAL OF PRESENTATIONAL

DIFFICULTIES TO THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES. BANNING THE PRESS IS AN ATTEMPT TO AVOID THESE PROBLEMS BECOMING TOO EMBARRASSING. BUT THE HONG KONG PRESS ARE PERSISTENT AND SOME WILL NO DOUBT GET AROUND THE BAN. EMILY LAU, CHAIRMAN OF THE HONG KONG JOURNALISTS'

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