TNAG-2768-FCO40-3985-Hong-Kong-and-the-media-interviews--press-briefings-and-the--1993 — Page 6

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9 September 1993

News Dept Mr Fry, FED

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10/9

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Action Taken

Mr

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SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST

1.

When Mr Goodlad spoke to the Governor on the secure telephone this morning, he asked where matters stood on the change of ownership of the South China morning post (SCMP). The Governor said he understood the sale was not yet completed. Mr Robert Kuok was having some difficulty in getting the cash. He had learned that it would be the Bank of China which would be putting up the money for the purchase: but it too was strapped for foreign exchange.

2. Mr Goodlad and the Governor agreed that this arrangement did not augur well for the future editorial independence of the SCMP. The Governor commented that in future it would be very much the Hong Kong equivalent of the Straits Times.

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