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INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
HONG KONG: DISCUSSIONS WITH THE CHINESE: DENG XIAOPING
SUMMARY
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077116 MDHIAN 6542
1 High-profile publication of Deng's harsh 1982 statement to Mrs Thatcher about Hong Kong. No explanation given.
DETAIL
2.
People's Daily (24 September) carries as its front page lead, Occupying half a page, the text of Deng Xiaoping's statement to Mrs Thatcher on 24 September 1982 setting out the Chinese position on the question of Hong Kong, including the fundamental importance of resuming sovereignty, even if announcement of this were to have disastrous effects; how China should administer Hong Kong after 1997 in order to maintain its prosperity; the need for negotiations between the two sides to resolve these questions, on the premise of Chinese sovereignty and with a two-year deadline; particular concern for the transition period up to 1997 and a warning that if Hong Kong should fall into disorder before the handover China would reconsider the timing and manner of its resumption of sovereignty. NCNA translation in MIFT. The text is not accompanied by any comment or explanation. It was also the lead item on this morning's news broadcasts.
COMMENT
3.
Chinese officials read extracts from Deng's 1982 remarks to pro-Peking Hong Kong people earlier this summer. Jiang Enzhu told reporters that they remained highly relevant. (We pointed out that they ante-dated the negotiation and signature of the Joint Declaration.) Their full publication now sets out in an authoritative way a hard line for our consumption, and for the domestic and Hong Kong constituencies, on the eve of the twelfth Round of talks and, more importantly, just before your meeting with Qian. Qian returned to Peking from Eastern Europe on 17 September.
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