TNAG-2770-FCO40-3987-Coverage-of-Sino-British-talks-in-the-Hong-Kong-press-1993 — Page 87

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045470 MDHIAN 8301

THE LC HAD NOT CONSIDERED USING THE LAND FUND TO SUPPORT THE NEW AIRPORT, ADDING THAT THIS WOULD NOT BE APPROPRIATE.

11.

THE HONG KONG DAILY NEWS IN A REPORT FILED FROM PEKING QUOTED THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF THE LAND FUND AS SAYING THAT THE

FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS WERE STILL BEING DISCUSSED BY THE TWO SIDES AND IT WAS TOO EARLY TO STUDY WHETHER THE LAND FUND SHOULD BE INVOLVED.

12. QUOTING CHINESE SOURCES, MING PAO REPORTED THAT THE CHINESE

SIDE HAD RESPONDED TO THE FINANCING PACKAGE TABLED BY THE BRITISH SIDE AND HAD PUT FORWARD CONCRETE VIEWS ON EQUITY INJECTION BY THE GOVERNMENT AND THE AMOUNT OF BORROWINGS. THE CHINESE SUGGESTIONS SHOULD ALLOW THE HKG TO HANDLE WITH MORE FLEXIBILITY THE DOLLARS 5 BILLION LIMIT ON RAISING LOANS. THE CHINESE SIDE HOPED THAT S OF S WOULD MAKE CLEAR HIS VIEWS ON THIS ISSUE AT THE MINISTERIAL MEETING.

13. A NUMBER OF PAPERS NOTED THAT THE FS HAD DENIED SAYING AT A

MEETING WITH MEETING POINT YESTERDAY THAT HKG WOULD INJECT A FURTHER HONG KONG DOLLARS 10 BILLION INTO THE AIRPORT PROJECT.

POLLS.

14. THE LOCAL PRESS REPORTED A NUMBER OF TELEPHONE AND STREET POLLS ON THE PERFORMANCE OF THE GOVERNOR:

PERFORMANCE OF GOVERNOR AGAINST ZHOU NAN:

(I) (A)

MING PAO: 1-5 JULY: 630 RESPONDENTS

(B)

(C)

ABILITY OF THE GOVERNOR: 63.10 (OUT OF 100 POINTS) CREDIBILITY OF THE GOVERNOR: 56.50

APPROACHABILITY OF THE GOVERNOR: 61.66

ABILITY OF NCNA DIRECTOR ZHOU NAN AND VICE-DIRECTOR SHANG JUNSHENG: 57.95

CREDIBILITY OF THE TWO: 52.11

APPROACHABILITY OF THE TWO: 45.38

DO YOU THINK THAT THE LEADING REPRESENTATIVE OF THE

BRITISH GOVERNMENT IN HONG KONG (GOVERNOR) SHOULD BE

REPLACED QUERY.

YES:

NO:

17.6 PERCENT

53 PERCENT

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