UNCLASSIFIED
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 530
OF 02081OZ APRIL 93
UNCLASSIFIED
HKB
011/12
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
06 APR 1993
BESK OFFICER
REGISTRY
INDEX
PA
Action Taken
INFO PRIORITY PEKING, UKREPIG
p.r. Opinion Polls
pa
130460 MDHIAN 5765
14.
CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT: PRESS REPORTS
1. LOCAL PRESS TODAY (2 APRIL) GAVE GOOD COVERAGE TO REACTION OF CHINESE OFFICIALS AND PRO-CHINESE FIGURES TO SECRETARY OF STATE'S REMARKS TO JAPANESE REPORTERS. NCNA VICE DIRECTOR ZHANG JUNSHENG WAS QUOTED BY TA KUNG PAO AS SAYING THAT THE QUESTION OF HONG KONG WA A MATTER BETWEEN CHINA AND BRITAIN BEFORE 1997, AND CHINA'S INTERNAL AFFAIRS AFTERWARDS. IT WOULD BE WRONG FOR ANY THIRD COUNTRY TO INTERFERE WITH HONG KONG AFFAIRS. CHEN ZIYING WAS ALSO REPORTED TO HAVE MADE SIMILAR COMMENTS.
2.
TO THE
BOTH TA KUNG AND WEN WEI PO PLAYED UP REMARKS BY HONG KONG AFFAIRS ADVISERS. ALLEN LEE WAS REPORTED TO HAVE SAID THAT THE SECRETARY OF STATE COULD NOT BUT ADMIT THAT HE WAS INTERNATIONALISING THE HONG KONG QUESTION. NGAI SHIU-KIT SAID IF THE SECRETARY OF STATE WAS CONCERNED ABOUT HONG KONG, HE SHOULD PAY ATTENTION TO HOW THE TALKS COULD BE RE-OPENED. THE GOVERNOR'S PACKAGE HAD MADE SMOOTH CONVERGENCE DIFFICULT. BUSINESS SECTOR, NO CONVERGENCE WOULD MEAN NO STABILITY AND PROSPERITY. NGAI SAID THAT THE FREE ECONOMIC SYSTEM OF HONG KONG HAD BEEN ENSHRINED IN THE BL. IT WAS NOT NECESSARY FOR THE SECRETARY OF STATE TO ASK THE JAPANESE FOR HELP IN MAINTAINING THIS SYSTEM. HONG KONG PEOPLE WOULD CONTINUE TO ENJOY THEIR FREEDOMS AFTER 1997. ANY THIRD COUNTRY SHOULD NOT INTERFERE.
3. TSANG YOK-SING SAID THAT CHINESE POLICIES TOWARDS HONG KONG HAD BEEN LAID DOWN IN THE JD AND BL. HONG KONG WOULD MAINTAIN ITS STATUS AS A FINANCIAL CENTRE AND A FREE PORT. HE DID NOT BELIEVE THAT CHINESE POSITION ON THIS WOULD CHANGE IN ANY WAY.
4.
XU XIMIN NOTED THAT CHINA WOULD NOT BOW TO PRESSURE FROM ANY COUNTRY. CHINA WOULD TAKE STEPS TO MAINTAIN HONG KONG'S STABILITY AND PROSPERITY AND WOULD GIVE PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT TO
FOREIGN INVESTORS.
5.
IN ITS EDITORIAL HONG KONG COMMERCIAL DAILY COMMENTED THAT
1
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