UNCLASSIFIED
151035
MDLIAN 6233
UNCLASSIFIED
FM HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 565
OF 081111Z APRIL 93
INFO ROUTINE HKGO LONDON, PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
INFO ROUTINE HKGO WASHINGTON, HKGO NEW YORK, HKGO SAN FRANCISCO INFO ROUTINE HKGO GENEVA, UKMIS GENEVA
PART TWO OF TWO PARTS
HONG KONG FUTURE: PRESS COVERAGE: (1.4
A
8.4).
20. ACCORDING TO MING PAO (3.4) LI LANQING WAS REPORTED TO HAVE DENIED REPORTS THAT MOFERT HAD DIRECTED ALL INTERNATIONAL ENTERPRISES NOT TO DO BUSINESS WITH JARDINES. HOWEVER, LI SAID THAT IF SINO BRITISH RELATIONS REMAINED STRAINED IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO SAY THAT BILATERAL TRADE WOULD NOT BE AFFECTED.
SINO-BRITISH RELATIONS
21. SING PAO (5.4) QUOTED FCO SOURCES AS SAYING THAT TOP-LEVEL BRITISH GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS HOPED THAT THE GOVERNOR WOULD GIVE WAY ON THE QUESTION OF HONG KONG OFFICIAL REPRESENTATION SO AS TO FACILITATE THE REOPENING OF TALKS. THE REPORT SAID THAT BRITISH OFFICIALS WOULD PROPOSE THIS TO THE GOVERNOR DURING HIS VISIT TO LONDON. MING PAO (5.4) HOWEVER, QUOTED A FCO SPOKESMAN AS DENYING ANY PRESSURE ON THE GOVERNOR TO GIVE UP HIS PACKAGE. SIR ROBIN MCLAREN WAS ALSO QUOTED AS DISMISSING REPORTS THAT LONDON HAD EXERTED PRESSURE ON THE GOVERNOR TO MAKE CONCESSIONS OVER HIS POLITICAL REFORMS.
22. PAPERS (5.4) REPORTED THAT THREE INCUMBENT AND FORMER HKMAO OFFICIALS HAD HIT OUT AT THE GOVERNOR' PACKAGE. LU PING SAID THAT THE POLITICAL ROW HAD UNMASKED THE TRUE FACE OF BRITISH COLUMNISTS AND ENHANCED UNITY AMONG HONG KONG PEOPLE. HE SAID THAT THE GOVERNOR'S IGNORANCE OF HONG KONG'S INTEREST HAD LED TO THE ESCALATION OF THE ROW AND MADE IT NECESSARY FOR THE CHINESE SIDE TO PREPARE FOR THE FIRST SARG IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE BL. HIS PREDECESSOR, JI PENGFEI, CRITICISED THE GOVERNOR FOR INTRODUCING AN ANTI-CHINESE LINE AND SHUTTING THE DOOR TO NEGOTIATIONS. WANG QIREN SAID THAT THE GOVERNOR'S PACKAGE HAD DEALT A SEVERE BLOW TO HONG KONG ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
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