TNAG-2788-FCO40-4027-Chinese-policy-on-Hong-Kong-an-overview-1993 — Page 61

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FM HONG KONG

TO TELELETTER FCO

TELELETTER NFR

OF 03103OZ MAY 93

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HICC 013/1

R

TU MAY 1993

似

AND TO TELELETTER PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG

FOR:

J MORRIS, ESQ., HKD, FCO

5

024472

MDTTAN 1675

Ar Riyadhy Im Buiten, 19

Ins Samsters 75 Mrs BJJ/16/5 ms. for whichey li

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4/1

FROM: S E BRADLEY,

SE DPA

COPIED TO: N J COX, ESQ., PEKING

A PAUL, ESQ., UKREP JLG HONG KONG

STATEMENT BY JIANG ZEMIN ON IMPORTED LABOUR

►

1 AT LUNCH GIVEN BY THE ACTING GOVERNOR FOR PRESIDENT RAMOS ON 30 APRIL, I WAS SITTING NEXT TO FOREIGN SECRETARY ROMULO AND ASKED WHAT EXACTLY JIANG ZEMIN HAD SAID. ROMULO CONFIRMED THAT RAMOS HAD ASKED ABOUT THE SITUATION OF FILIPINOS WORKING IN HONG KONG AFTER 1997: AND SAID JIANG'S RESPONSE CONSISTED OF MUCH THAT WAS FAMILIAR (CONTINUATION OF HONG KONG'S SYSTEM AS DESCRIBED IN THE JD). ON THE SPECIFIC QUESTION JIANG HAD SAID THAT 'THE LAWS IN PLACE WILL BE THE SAME. I ASKED IF THE FILIPINOS WERE ENTIRELY SATISFIED WITH THIS. ROMULO SAID THEY WOULD HAVE LIKED TO HAVE ASKED THAT THE LAWS WOULD NOT SUBSEQUENTLY CHANGE, BUT OF

COURSE REALISED THIS WAS IMPOSSIBLE.

COMMENT

1

2. IT APPEARS THAT JIANG'S REPLY WAS WORDED CAUTIOUSLY PERHAPS IN ORDER TO AVOID APPARENTLY ENCROACHING ON THE SAR'S AUTONOMY, AS YOU NOTE.

3. IT SEEMS TO ME UNLIKELY THAT THE CHINESE WOULD PUT PRESSURE ON THE HKSARG ACTIVELY TO PREVENT FIPILINA MAIDS FROM COMING TO HONG KONG TO WORK. WHAT IS FAR MORE LIKELY IS THAT THE RULES FOR BRINGING IN PEOPLE AS 'DOMESTIC HELPERS' FROM THE MAINLAND WILL BE RELAXED. THIS COULD REDUCE JOB OPPORTUNITIES HERE FOR FOREIGNERS NOT SO MUCH BECAUSE OF PRICE COMPETITION (MOST MAIDS HERE ARE PAID THE LEGAL MINIMUM WAGE) BUT BECAUSE OF LOCAL CHINESE EMPLOYERS' PREFERENCE FOR CHINESE-SPEAKING SERVANTS. ANY SUCH RELAXATION WOULD, HOWEVER, OPEN THE DOOR TO PEOPLE BRINGING IN THEIR RELATIVES UNDER THE GUISE OF EMPLOYING THEM, SOMETHING WHICH THE CHINESE MUST REALISE. THIS CONSIDERATION MAY MEAN THAT THE PRESENT SYSTEM HOLDS FOR SOME TIME EVEN AFTER 1997.

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