TNAG-2806-FCO40-4048-Visits-by-Chinese-officials-to-Hong-Kong-1993 — Page 18

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6.

The

whole, the

final outline programme is at Annex B. On the

delegation showed a genuine interest in knowing

Hong Kong Government and Hong Kong. raised by them were mostly of a technical nature.

more about

Questions

Comments on the Governor's constitutional proposals

7.

The delegation

constitutional

came at a time when the Governor's

proposals were being widely discussed in

Hong Kong. The press tried to make Wang Guisheng speak on

the proposals but he seemed to be under instructions not to

make any substantive comments.

8.

Council,

At the briefing by the Chairman of the Urban

the delegation was told that more than half of the

UC members opposed the Governor's proposal of scrapping all

appointed seats by 1995. Later at the lunch hosted by the

Chairman some members of

the Urban Council also tried to

suggest that they disagreed with the Governor's

constitutional proposals Hong Kong's stability.

these comments.

which they thought would affect

The delegation did not respond to

When approached by the press, Wang Guisheng simply said that the Chinese Government's views on

the Governor's proposals had been made clear.

9.

the

NCNA officials who accompanied the delegation on

visits, however, took opportunities to reiterate the

known Chinese lines on the Governor's proposals. At the

lunch hosted by the Acting Secretary for Monetary Affairs, Chen Rongchun (Director, Foreign Affairs Department, NCNA)

alleged that the Governor had not borne in mind the importance of convergence, nor the prosperity and stability of Hong Kong. He said that the Governor was using Hong

Kong to gain mileage to further his political career in the United Kingdom. Chen questioned the motive behind our proposals. At the reception hosted by the Deputy Secretary

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