BA 016/1
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98
143646
MDHIAN 1544
UNCLASSIFIED
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 1308
OF 10104OZ AUGUST 93
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
Q DIST 2
MUA 0164
02 AUG 1993
LOCALISATION POLICY: COMMENTS BY CHINESE OFFICIALS.
1.
ON 7 AUGUST DIRECTOR OF HKMAO, LU PING, DENIED THAT HKG HAD CONSULTED THE CHIENSE SIDE BEFORE IT INTRODUCED THE NEW POLICY. AS REGARDS THE CHINESE SIDE'S ATTITUDE TOWARDS THOSE EXPATRIATE CIVIL SERVANTS WHO WERE ALLOWED TO CHANGE TO LOCAL TERMS, HE SAID THESE CIVIL SERVANTS WERE CONTRACT OFFICERS, AND UNLESS THE ISSUE WAS RAISED FOR DISCUSSION IN JLG, IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO SAY WHAT THE FUTURE OF THESE CIVIL SERVANTS WOULD BE.
2.
IN A MEETING WITH A HONG KONG CHARITY ORGANISATION ON 5 AUGUST THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF HKMAO, CHEN ZIYING, SAID THAT THE EXISTING SOCIAL SYSTEMS OF HONG KONG, INCLUDING THE CIVIL SERVICE SYSTEM, SHOULD NOT BE CHANGED DRASTICALLY. IF THE BRITISH-HONG KONG GOVERNMENT WANTED TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS IN ANY ASPECT, THE ADJUSTMENTS SHOULD NOT CONTRAVENE THE PROVISIONS IN THE JD AND BL. HKG HAD TO CONSULT THE CHINESE SIDE BEFORE IT CHANGED THE EXPATRIATE CIVIL SERVANTS' CONTRACTS, BECAUSE THIS ISSUE WOULD STRADDLE 1997. CHEN POINTED OUT THAT THE NEW POLICY HAD CAUSED WIDESPREAD DISSATISFACTION AMONG ALL SECTORS IN HONG KONG, ESPECIALLY THE CIVIL SERVICE. HE HOPED HKG WOULD ATTACH IMPORTANCE TO PUBLIC OPINION. HE ALSO HOPED THAT HKG WOULD TAKE THE ADMINISTRATION OF HONG KONG BEFORE 30 JUNE 1997 SERIOUSLY AND RESPONSIBLY, AND WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING THAT WOULD HURT HONG KONG:S STABILITY.
·
3. SEPARATELY TA KUNG PAO TODAY (10 AUGUST) CARRIED A PEKING
REPORT IN WHICH CHEN ZIYING COMMENTED ON THE NEW POLICY. HE SAID CONSENSUS HAD BEEN REACHED WITH VARIOUS PARTIES ON THE QUESTION OF CIVIL SERVICE DURING THE DISCUSSION ON THE JD AND BL. THESE WERE CLEARLY REFLECTED IN THE RELEVANT PROVISIONS IN THE BL. CHEN SAID THE NEW POLICY INVOLVED MAJOR CHANGES IN THE CIVIL SERVICE WHICH WOULD STRADDLE 1997. THE EFFECTS WOULD BE LONG LASTING. HE SAID THE BRITISH-HONG KONG AUTHORITIES HAD NOT CONSULTED THE CHIENSE SIDE BEFOREHAND, ADDING THAT ANYTHING RELATED TO THE TRANSITION SHOULD BE DISCUSSED BETWEEN THE CHIENSE AND
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