TNAG-2770-FCO40-3987-Coverage-of-Sino-British-talks-in-the-Hong-Kong-press-1993 — Page 348

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INFO ROUTINE HKGO LONDON, PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG INFO ROUTINE HKGO WASHINGTON, HKGO NEW YORK, BIS NEW YORK INFO HKGO SAN FRANCISCO, UKMIS GENEVA, HKGO GENEVA

PART ONE OF TWO PARTS.

HONG KONG FUTURE:/PRESS COVERAGE: (30.1

GE: (30.

SUMMARY

5.2).

1. HOSPITALISATION OF THE GOVERNOR RECEIVED PROMINENT COVERAGE. CONSTITUTIONAL REFORMS AND THE AIRPORT CONTINUED TO FEATURE.

CONSTITUTIONAL REFORMS

2. REMARKS BY NCNA VICE DIRECTOR ZHENG GUOXIONG WAS NOTED (30.1). MR ZHENG ACCUSED THE GOVERNOR OF CREATING A ''THREE LEGGED STOOL' SITUATION BY PASSING THE REFORM PROPOSALS TO LEGCO FOR A DECISION. HKMAO VICE DIRECTOR WANG QIREN TOLD THE ''OUTLOOK

I 1

WEEKLY

CHINA, THERE WAS NO POSSIBILITY FOR IT TO CONTINUE TO BE STABLE AND PROSPEROUS. ON THE HK QUESTION HE HOPED BRITAIN AND CHINA COULD CO-OPERATE AND NOT CONFRONT EACH OTHER. ON THE QUESTION OF SOVEREIGNTY THE CHINESE COULD NOT GIVE WAY EVEN AN INCH.

3. THE FEBRUARY ISSUE OF ZHENG MING MAGAZINE NOTED REMARKS BY SENIOR CHINESE OFFICIALS ON THE CURRENT DISPUTE. QIAO SHI (MEMBER OF THE POLITBURO STANDING COMMITTEE) WAS QUOTED AS SAYING ON 28 DECEMBER 1992 IN A STATE COUNCIL FOREIGN AFFAIRS BRIEFING THAT BRITAIN WAS MAKING USE OF HK'S POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS TO CAUSE CONFRONTATION. BRITAIN IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE U.S. WERE MAKING USE OF THE ''DEMOCRACY'' AND ''PUBLIC OPINION'' CARDS TO CHALLENGE CHINA POLITICALLY AND ECONOMICALLY. SPEAKING AT THE SAME OCCASION, CHINA'S FOREIGN MINISTER QIAN QICHEN SAID SINO- BRITISH RELATIONS WERE GOING DOWN HILL AND THAT ONE DAY RELATIONS MIGHT BE SEVERED. ACCORDING TO THE PRESENT SITUATION THE BRITISH WERE DELIBERATELY USING HK'S POLITICAL REFORMS TO CREATE

''WAVES''. IF THE BRITISH DID NOT TAKE SINCERE AND PRACTICAL STEPS, MR QIAN RECOMMENDED THE STATE COUNCIL TO SHELVE THE MARCH MEETING WITH THE BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY. MR QIAN ALSO SAID

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