UNCLASSIFIED
073512
MDLIAN 6936
CURRENT DISPUTE BECAUSE CHINA WOULD NOT BE THREATENED. ON THE AIRPORT, THEY WARNED AGAINST A 'GO IT ALONE' OPTION WHICH THEY CLAIMED WOULD DRAIN HK'S RESERVES AND SADDLE HK PEOPLE WITH ENORMOUS DEBTS. MANY PAPERS NOTED (21.11) A SIGNED COMMENTARY IN THE OVERSEAS EDITION OF THE PEOPLE'S DAILY CRITICISED THE GOVERNOR FOR PLAYING THE INTERNATIONAL CARD. IT ALSO CRITICISED THE US AND OTHER WESTERN GOVERNMENTS FOR INTERFERING IN A MATTER BETWEEN BRITAIN AND CHINA AND WARNED ANY UNDERMINING OF HK'S STABILITY WOULD NOT BE IN THE INTEREST OF THEIR INVESTORS.
28.
REPORTS NOTED (20.11) THAT THE CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN WU JIANMIN SAID AT A WEEKLY PRESS BRIEFING THAT THE KEY TO A SOLUTION WOULD LIE IN THE FUNDAMENTAL CHANGE IN THE ATTITUDE OF THE BRITISH HK AUTHORITIES. THEY SHOULD RETURN TO THE TRACKS OF CO-OPERATION. CHINA WAS NEVER UNCLEAR ON MATTERS OF PRINCIPLE. TIN TIN DAILY NEWS NOTED (20.11) THAT THE NCNA HK BRANCH HAD THROUGH ITS DISTRICT OFFICERS LAUNCHED ACTIVITIES TO EXPLAIN CHINESE OPPOSITION TO THE REFORM PACKAGE, WITH A VIEW TO CANVASSING GRASSROOTS SUPPORT FOR OPPOSING THE PROPOSALS. SECOND DEPARTMENT HEAD WANG FENGCHAO TOLD A VISITING HK DELEGATION THAT NO MATTER WHAT CHANGES HK MIGHT HAVE, THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT WOULD ADHERE TO THE BL EVEN THOUGH BRITAIN MAY DEVIATE FROM THE PATH. THE CNA IN A STRONGLY WORDED COMMENTARY CRITICISED UDHK FOR LAUNCHING CAMPAIGNS IN HK TO LOBBY SUPPORT FOR THE GOVERNOR'S POLITICAL BLUEPRINT.
SURVEY
HKMAO
29. A SURVEY CONDUCTED BY THE 'EASTWEEK' MAGAZINE ON DISTRICT BOARDS ON 10 AND 11 NOVEMBER IN THE FORM OF TELEPHONE INTERVIEWS COVERED 717 RESPONDENTS AGED 18 AND ABOVE. RESULTS SHOWED DBS WERE CONSIDERED THE LEAST EFFECTIVE IN THE 3 TIER STRUCTURE OF THE GOVERNMENT, WITH ONLY 46.6 PERCENT OF THE RESPONDENTS FINDING THEM USEFUL, COMPARED WITH 64.6 PERCENT FOR LEGCO AND 60.2 PERCENT FOR THE 2 MUNICIPAL COUNCILS. ON THE ABOLITION OF THE APPOINTMENT SYSTEM FOR THE DBS, 25 PERCENT HAD NO VIEWS, AND ABOUT THE SAME PROPORTION OF RESPONDENTS, SOME 32 PERCENT, SUPPORTED OR OBJECTED THE PROPOSAL.
30. SOME PAPERS NOTED 197 HKU STUDENTS RESPONDED TO A POLL BY THE HKU STUDENT UNION. RESULTS SHOWED 80 PERCENT OF THE RESPONDENTS SUPPORTED PROPOSALS FOR THE 9 NEW FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES: 66 PERCENT SUPPORTED THE ABOLITION OF THE APPOINTMENT SYSTEM FOR DBS AND MUNICIPAL COUNCILS: AND 62 PERCENT SUPPORTED THE PROPOSALS FOR COMPOSITION OF THE ELECTION
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