TNAG-2771-FCO40-3988-Coverage-of-Sino-British-talks-in-the-Hong-Kong-press-1993 — Page 115

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FM HONG KONG

TELNO 1330

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HKB 201/2

PED INERGISTRY

RECE

1. AG 1993

REGISTRY

PA

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TO PRIORITY FCO

OF 132145Z AUGUST 93

pa. Press Roundups

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

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PART ONE OF TWO

HONG KONG FUTURE: PRESS COVERAGE: (7.8-13.8)

SUMMARY

REACTION FROM LEGISLATORS, CIVIL SERVICE GROUPS AND REMARKS BY CHINESE LEADERS ON THE TEMPORARY MEASURE TO ALLOW EXPATRIATE CIVIL SERVANTS TO RENEW THEIR CONTRACTS UNDER LOCAL TERMS WERE PROMINENTLY COVERED. SPECULATION ON THE CONTENT OF THE NINTH ROUND OF TALKS CONTINUED.

LOCALISATION

2. LU PING WAS QUOTED AS SAYING (7.8) THE MOVE BY THE HKG TO ALLOW EXPATRIATE OFFICALS TO APPLY TO RENEW THEIR CONTRACTS UNDER LOCAL TERMS INVOLVED MAJOR CHANGES IN THE CIVIL SERVICE SYSTEM AND THE CHINESE SIDE SHOULD BE CONSULTED IN THE JLG.

3. TA KUNG PAO (10.8) CARRIED A PEKING REPORT IN WHICH HKMAO VICE- DIRECTOR CHEN ZIYING WAS QUOTED AS SAYING THE NEW POLICY INVOLVED MAJOR CHANGES IN THE CIVIL SERVICE. THE EFFECTS WOULD STRADDLE 1997 AND WOULD BE LONG LASTING. CHEN SAID THE BRITISH HKG HAD NOT CONSULTED THE CHINESE SIDE BEFOREHAND. ON WHETHER THIS MOVE WOULD AFFECT THE NINTH ROUND OF TALKS, CHEN WAS QUOTED AS SAYING CHINA SINCERELY WANTED THE TALKS TO SUCCEED. THE THINGS THAT WOULD BE DETRIMENTAL TO THIS AIM WERE CERTAIN REMARKS AND STAND WHICH WERE OBSTACLES TO THE RESUMPTION OF COOPERATION. A CHINA NEW AGENCY DISPATCH QUOTED CPPCC DELEGATES XU SIMIN AND PEGGY LAM AS SAYING IF THE GOVERNMENT INSISTED ON GOING AHEAD WITH THE POLICY, IT WOULD LEADER TO POLARISATION IN THE CIVIL SERVICE AND SERIOUSLY AFFECT MORALE AND EFFICIENCY WHICH WOULD IN TURN AFFECT THE SMOOTH TRANSITION OF HK.

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