TNAG-2392-FCO40-3478-Appointment-of-Chris-Patten-as-new-Governor-of-Hong-Kong--Ap-1992 — Page 87

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INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG, BTC HONG KONG, UKREP JLG HONG KONG

Yes

QUESTIONS ON GOVERNOR

1.

AT THE 16 JANUARY MFA PRESS CONFERENCE, BOB CHISHOLM (DAILY MAIL) ASKED 3 QUESTIONS ABOUT THE CHINESE POSITION ON THE

APPOINTMENT OF A NEW GOVERNOR OF HONG KONG:

A) DID THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT WISH TO BE CONSULTED ON THE APPOINTMENT?

D.K. B) WHAT SORT OF PERSON WOULD THE CHINESE WANT TO SEE APPOINTED? AND

Yes, C) WOULD THE CHINESE OPPOSE THE APPOINTMENT OF A HONG KONG CHINESE

시

TO THE POST?

2 =

WU JIANMIN REPLIED THAT THESE WERE THREE VERY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS. CHINA'S PRINCIPLED POSITION WAS THAT HONG KONG WAS A BILATERAL MATTER FOR THE CHINESE AND BRITISH GOVERNMENTS UNTIL 1997.

1Y

AFTER 1997 IT WOULD BE CHINA'S INTERNAL AFFAIR. THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT HOPED TO MAINTAIN THE STABILITY AND PROSPERITY OF HONG

KONG AND WERE THEREFORE PREPARED TO COOPERATE CLOSELY WITH THE UK TO ENSURE THE SMOOTH TRANSFER OF POWER IN 1997.

3.

THERE WERE NO OTHER QUESTIONS ON THE SUBJECT.

MCLAREN

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.HONG KONG AGREEMENT

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