TNAG-2771-FCO40-3988-Coverage-of-Sino-British-talks-in-the-Hong-Kong-press-1993 — Page 104

UNCLASSIFIED

172272

MDLIAN 2569

PERMANENT RESIDENCY.

18.

QUOTING GOVERNMENT SOURCES (21.8) MING PAO SAID THE GOVERNMENT PLANNED TO CHANGE THE FIVE-YEAR RESIDENCY RULE FOR FOREIGNERS TO BECOME PERMANENT HONG KONG RESIDENTS TO SEVEN YEARS AS IN THE BL. THE GOVERNMENT HAD RAISED THIS PROPOSAL TO THE CHINESE SIDE THROUGH THE JLG AND WAS AWAITING A RESPONSE. QUOTING CHINESE SOURCES THE PAPER SAID THE CHINESE SIDE'S PRELIMINARY IDEA WAS THAT FOREIGNERS' APPLICATIONS FOR PERMANENT RESIDENT'S STATUS WOULD HAVE TO GO THROUGH APPLICATION AND EXAMINATION PROCEDURES. THE CHINESE SIDE WOULD NOT ACCEPT A SIMPLE PROCEDURE SUCH AS TAKING AN OATH. THE SOURCES STRESSED THE CHINESE SIDE HAD NOT MADE A FINAL DECISION. THE CHINESE CONCEPT WAS THAT 'LOCALS' WERE 'PERMANENT RESIDENTS'.

PRELIMINARY WORKING COMMITTEE.

19.

SEVERAL PAPERS REPORTED (19.8) NCNA INVITED 92 HONG KONG AFFAIRS ADVISERS TO TAKE PART IN GROUP DISCUSSIONS TO GIVE VIEWS ON THE SCOPE OF WORK OF THE FIVE PWC SUB-GROUPS. SUCH SEMINARS WOULD BE HELD REGULARLY. THE PAPERS SAID THE SEMINARS CORRESPONDING TO THE FIVE SUB-GROUPS WERE A FORM OF CONSULTATIVE STRUCTURE FOR THE PWC. FOUR PWC SUB-GROUPS WOULD HAVE MEETING IN PEKING IN SEPTEMBER WHILE THE CULTURE SUB-GROUP PLANNED TO HOLD ITS MEETING PRIOR TO THE PWC SECOND FULL MEETING IN DECEMBER.

JLG.

20.

SOME PAPERS (19.8) QUOTED GUO FENGMIN OF THE JLG CHINESE TEAM AS SAYING JLG WOULD BE MEETING IN THE WEEK COMMENCING 13 SEPTEMBER IN PEKING BUT DEFINTIE DATES HAD NOT BEEN DECIDED. HE SAID ITEMS TO BE DISCUSSED WOULD INCLUDE CIVIL SERVICE, USE OF MILITARY LAND AND STATIONING OF THE PLA IN HONG KONG.

TAIWAN.

21.

IT WAS NOTED (21.8) AN AMENDMENT TO A CLAUSE IN THE KMT CONSTITUTION MOVED BY KMT HONG KONG DELEGATE SUSIE CHIANG WAS ENDORSED. IT READ THAT KMT WOULD ADOPT VARIOUS MEASURES TO PROTECT HONG KONG AND MACAU COMPATRIOTS' WICHES FOR FREEDOM AND LIFESTYLE AND FORMULATE LEGISLATION TO STRENGTHEN RELATIONS WITH THE TWO PLACES.

ENDS PART TWO OF TWO PARTS.

PAGE 3 UNCLASSIFIED