TNAG-2770-FCO40-3987-Coverage-of-Sino-British-talks-in-the-Hong-Kong-press-1993 — Page 163

UNCLASSIFIED

170430

MI

AN 5464

4. NCNA VICE-DIRECTOR ZHU YUCHENG YESTERDAY MADE SIMILAR REMARKS ON

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE 'THREE CONFORMITIES' AND SINCERITY ON THE

PART OF THE CHINESE SIDE. HE CRITICISED THE BRITISH SIDE FOR

'JUMPING THE GUN' BY DEPLOYING THE THREE PETTY TRICKS BEFORE A DEAL

WAS REACHED AT THE TALKS. WHEN ENQUIRED ON WHETHER THE SUMMIT

MEETING TO BE HELD IN LONDON WAS AN ATTEMPT TO PUT PRESSURE ON CHINA, ZHU SAID THAT IT WAS A MATTER FOR THE BRITISH SIDE.

COMMENTARIES

5. A WEN WEI PO COMMENTARY CRITICISED THE GOVERNOR'S REMARKS ON

WEDNESDAY THAT THE 'HK-BRITISH DELEGATION HAS ALL ALONG SHOWN SINCERITY IN THE SINO-BRITISH TALKS! AS AN ATTEMPT TO REVIVE THE

THREE-LEGGED STOOL. IF HK WERE ACCEPTED AS A PARTY TO THE TALKS ON

EQUAL FOOTING WITH THE TWO SOVEREIGN GOVERNMENTS, HK WOULD BE TURNED INTO A SEPARATE POLITICAL ENTITY. THE CHINESE SIDE

CONSIDERED THIS AS ANOTHER DEMONSTRATION OF THE LACK OF SINCERITY

ON THE BRITISH SIDE.

6. REFERRING TO RECENT REPORTS IN THE LOCAL PRESS THAT THE BRITISH

SIDE HAD ASKED TO TAKE PART IN THE SETTING UP OF THE SAR PREPARATORY COMMITTEE AS QUID-PRO-QUO FOR CONCESSIONS ON THE ELECTION COMMITTEE AND THE FCS, HK COMMERCIAL DAILY SAID THAT SUCH NEWS MIGHT NOT BE UNFOUNDED. THE PAPERS BELIEVED THAT THE BRITISH

MOTIVE WAS TO SEEK CONSULTATION ON THE CANDIDATURE OF HK DELEGATES

IN THE COMMITTEE. SOURCES SAID THAT AS THE FUTURE SARG WOULD BE EXECUTIVE-LED, THE BRITISH SIDE WOULD RATHER SPEND EFFORTS TO INFLUENCE THE FUTURE EXECUTIVE AUTHORITIES RATHER THAN THE 1995 AND

POST-1997 LEGISLATURES. THE PAPER CRITICISED THIS AS YET ANOTHER

ATTEMPT OF BRITAIN TO EXTEND COLONIAL INFLUENCE IN HK AFTER 1997.

THE CHINESE SIDE WOULD NEVER CONCEDE ON MATTERS OF SOVEREIGNTY.

SINO-BRITISH RELATIONS

7. THE STANDARD REPORTED THAT HKMAO DEPUTY DIRECTOR WANG QUIREN AND

FIRST DIVISION CHIEF CHEN ZUO'ER WOULD BE IN HK FOR A ONE-WEEK VISIT FROM 5 JULY. A PEKING SOURCE SAID THAT THEY WOULD BE GUESTS

OF THE NCNA AND WOULD NOT MAKE OFFICIAL CONTACT WITH THE HKG. NOTING THAT THIS WAS THE FIRST VISIT BY CHINESE OFFICIALS SINCE THE GOVERNOR VISITED BEIJING LAST OCTOBER, THE PAPER SAW THE VISIT AS A

SIGN OF THAWING SINO-BRITISH RELATIONS.

8. THE REPORT SAID THAT THE TWO WOULD CONDUCT CONSULTATIONS AND WORKING MEETINGS WITH ECONOMIC PERSONNEL, LOCAL POLITICAL GROUPS

2

PAGE UNCLASSIFIED