TNAG-2768-FCO40-3985-Hong-Kong-and-the-media-interviews--press-briefings-and-the--1993 — Page 8

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FROM: K A M Saunders

Hong Kong Department DATE: 3 September 1993

cc: PS/Mr Lennox-Boyd

Mr Alston Mr Hum o/r Mr Davies,

Information Dept

A FUTURE OF THE BBC TRANSMITTER IN HONG KONG

7/9

Problem

A

1. The Chinese have demanded that the BBC transmitter in Hong

Kong should be dismantled before 1997. We need to decide

(i) how to respond to the Chinese and (ii) what we should say in

public when news of the Chinese decision becomes generally

known.

155

1

Recommendation

I recommend that our response should be as set out in the

draft telegram attached.

2.

Background and Argument

3. The substance of the Chinese position comes as no surprise

to us, or to the BBC. We have discussed this matter with the

BBC on several occasions in recent years and reached the

conclusion that there was virtually no chance of the Chinese agreeing to continued use by the BBC of their transmitter in

Hong Kong after 1997. Hence the BBC's decision to build a

transmitter in Thailand. (See para 4 of the attached telegram which was drafted in conjunction with Information Department).

We, Hong Kong and the BBC consider that there is no point in having a row with the Chinese over this when we see no prospect

4.

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bbc.PR.JRB

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