TNAG-2771-FCO40-3988-Coverage-of-Sino-British-talks-in-the-Hong-Kong-press-1993 — Page 11

UNCLASSIFIED

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MOHIAN 7622,

briefcase under their arm, they invited one to sit down and tal Was that not ridiculous?

4. In Canton on 18 December, Zheng Guoxiong said that the Governor's recent efforts to point out that China has a balance of trade surplus with Britain was essentially playing the economic card and was an attempt to put economic pressure on China. The political dispute between Britain and China would have an effect on other aspects of Sino-British cooperation. Zhang Junsheng also claimed that for more than a year the British side had been creating artificial turmoil in Hong Kong, to damage Hong Kong's economy and all other related aspects. If it were not for the fact that the British side had adopted such a policy then Hong Kong's economic and social development would have been even better. If there were no cooperation with the British side over the next three years or so then the Chinese people, including the people of Hong Kong, had the confidence and the determination to continue to maintain Hong Kong's stability and prosperity and a smooth transition.

MCLEAN

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ΜΑΙΝ

56

.HK POLICY

HKD

PUSD

FED

DISTRIBUTION

61

NTCD

PLANNERS

RAD

PS

LEGAL ADVISERS//MS BARRETT

LEGAL ADVISERS//MISS BROOKS

NEWS D

PS/MR GOODLAD

SIR J COLES

MR HUM

ADDITIONAL

5

CAOFF //MR SIBSON

PS NO 10.