TNAG-2739-FCO40-3953-Future-of-Hong-Kong-constitutional-development--through-tra-1993 — Page 48

J

Through Train :

HKB 012/7

REC

kinese Public Statement2

7

ΓΑ

GISTRY

1393

REGISTRY Action Taken

The Index and its enclosed press cuttings at Annex summarises selected press reports on statements on the through train made by named Chinese authorities in the past

few

The following suggests some analyses and

months.

comments on these press reports:

( સ ) Early July, or the S of S's Peking visit on 9 July, appears to be a watershed in the Chinese side's public position

then,

statements had typically taken the lines that

(i)

(ii)

the on

matter.

Before

Chinese

the NPC Decision is already sufficiently clear about through train and about what constitutes

"upholding the BL";

in accordance with the Decision the matter is to be dealt with by the PC [and no one else];

and

(b)

(2)

(iii)

therefore the matter can only be dealt with in 1996 after the PC has been set up (and not

earlier).

The only exception is the SCMP report in May (see TV). According to the report Zhou Chengkui recognised the technical feasibility (and political necessity) for the SC/NPC to give explanation on the NPC Decision

provisions.

The

agreeing to the

report also quoted Xu Chongde as technical feasibility of an SC/NPC But the reports were not picked up by papers, and the points had not been echoed by

other Chinese spokesmen

explanation.

other

Possibly The first detectable change came after the

S of

visit.

Ou 10 July the press reported the

3 of S

raised through train as

the talks.

i as saying that

This

H his meeting with Qian he had one of the two basic issues in countered by adverse Chinese

not

27/7/93