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127556
MDHIAN 0553
live
02015
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FM HONG KONG
TO DESKBY 03130OZ FCO
TELNO 2824
OF 03120OZ DECEMBER 92
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG, BTC HONG KONG
BTC PLEASE PASS TO MORRICE, ATTC TAIPEI.
CHINESE MFA STATEMENTS ON BRITAIN'S COMMITMENT TO THE JOINT DECLARATION AND ON THE PLANNED VISIT BY THE HONG KONG DIRECTOR- GENERAL OF TRADE TO TAIWAN.
1.
THE CHINESE MFA SPOKESMAN IS REPORTED TO HAVE MADE STATEMENTS AT THE WEEKLY PRESS BRIEFING ON 3 DECEMBER ON BRITAIN'S COMMITMENT TO THE JOINT DECLARATION AND ON THE PLANNED VISIT TO TAIWAN BY HONG KONG'S DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF TRADE, DONALD TSANG.
2.
THE SPOKESMAN IS QUOTED ON THE FIRST QUESTION AS STATING:
'THE ISSUE FACING THE BRITISH SIDE IS NOW WHETHER THE
SINO-BRITISH JOINT DECLARATION AND THE OTHER AGREEMENTS REACHED BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES ARE STILL NEEDED. WHETHER THE POLITICAL SYSTEM IN HONG KONG SHOULD CONVERGE WITH THE BASIC LAW, AND WHETHER A SMOOTH TRANSITION IS NEEDED. ALL THESE ARE MATTERS OF PRINCIPLE'.
HE IS ALSO REPORTED TO HAVE SAID THAT THE CHINESE SIDE STILL WANTED TO SEE HONG KONG PROSPEROUS AND STABLE AND TO ENSURE A SMOOTH TRANSITION. I SHOULD ABANDON MY POLITICAL BLUEPRINT AND RETURN TO THE TRACK OF DISCUSSION AND CONSULTATION AS STIPULATED IN THE JOINT DECLARATION.
3.
ON THE SECOND QUESTION, THE SPOKESMAN CRITICISED THE TRADE DEPARTMENT'S PLAN TO SEND A DELEGATION TO TAIWAN AS CHINA OPPOSED THE BRITISH HONG KONG GOVERNMENT HAVING CONTACTS WITH TAIWAN. HE SAID THAT CHINA ALSO OPPOSED ANY ACTIVITY THAT CONSTITUTED 'TWO CHINA'S' OR 'ONE CHINA, ONE TAIWAN'.
4. LASTLY,
HE IS REPORTED TO HAVE SAID THAT THE NEXT JLG MEETING WOULD BE HELD FROM 8-10 DECEMBER AS SCHEDULED. HE HOPED THE MEETING COULD BE FRUITFUL.
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