TNAG-2726-FCO40-3932-Hong-Kong-opinion-polls-on-constitutional-development-1993 — Page 85

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MDLIAN 57861

5. THE CHINESE MFA SPOKESMAN WU JIANMIN SAID IN HIS WEEKLY BRIEFING THAT THE GOVERNOR MUST WITHDRAW HIS PACKAGE TO SHOW HIS GENUINE SINCERITY IN RETURNING TO THE PATH OF THE JD. THE CHINESE WOULD NOT ACCEPT ANY PROPOSAL NOT CONVERGING WITH THE BASIC LAW.

6. IN RESPONSE TO PRESS QUESTIONS, DEPUTY TO THE GOVERNOR SAID THAT IT WAS OUR PLAN TO GAZETTE OUR PROPOSALS BEFORE THE END OF THIS MONTH, ADDING THAT WE HAD BEEN CONSTANT IN OUR APPROACH AND HAD BEEN PROCEEDING AS SCHEDULED. THE FCO SPOKESMAN HERE WAS QUOTED IN THE EXPRESS AS SAYING THE BRITISH WERE VERY WILLING TO RE-OPEN, WITHOUT PRE-CONDITIONS, NEGOTIATIONS WITH CHINA.

CONTRACTS STRADDLING 1997

7. THE MING PAO QUOTED SOURCES AS SAYING THE CHINESE WERE MINDFUL OF UPHOLDING SOVEREIGNTY AND PREVENTING RIP-OFFS BY THE BRITISH SIDE. IN AGREEING TO CONTRACTS STRADDLING 1997, THE CHINESE WOULD ''HANDLE PRUDENTLY'' THOSE INVOLVING BRITISH INTERESTS (PARTICULARLY THOSE BRITISH FIRMS WITH ''POOR PERFORMANCE > WOULD TAKE A CO-OPERATIVE POSITION TOWARDS LOCAL CHINESE AND OTHER FOREIGN CONSORTIA.

SURVEY

1

BUT

8. 810 RESPONDENTS WERE INTERVIEWED IN A SURVEY BY SING TAO DAILY ON 8 AND 9 FEBRUARY. THE FINDINGS ARE AS FOLLOWS:

Q.1 WHETHER THE PACKAGE SHOULD BE TABLED TO LEGCO BEFORE SINO- BRITISH NEGOTIATIONS?

YES

56.2 PER CENT

NO

33.1 PER CENT

DON'T KNOW/HARD TO SAY

10.7 PER CENT.

Q.2 WHETHER THE PACKAGE SHOULD BE TABLED TO LEGCO UNAMENDED?

YES

37.4 PER CENT

NO

48.8 PER CENT

DON'T KNOW/HARD TO SAY

13.8 PER CENT.

Q.3 WHETHER AGREE WITH CHINESE THAT THE PACKAGE SHOULD BE

2

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