Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06HONGKONG686
2006-02-17 10:44:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Consulate Hong Kong
Cable title:  

HONG KONG NEWSPAPERS REPORT A READJUSTMENT OF

Tags:  PGOV PREL HK CH PINR PHUM 
pdf how-to read a cable
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DE RUEHHK #0686/01 0481044
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P 171044Z FEB 06
FM AMCONSUL HONG KONG
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4981
INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HONG KONG 000686 

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DEPT FOR EAP AND EAP/CM
NSC FOR DENNIS WILDER

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/17/2031
TAGS: PGOV PREL HK CH PINR PHUM
SUBJECT: HONG KONG NEWSPAPERS REPORT A READJUSTMENT OF
CHINA'S HONG KONG POLICY


Classified By: E/P Chief Simon Schuchat. Reasons: 1.4(b,d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HONG KONG 000686

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DEPT FOR EAP AND EAP/CM
NSC FOR DENNIS WILDER

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/17/2031
TAGS: PGOV PREL HK CH PINR PHUM
SUBJECT: HONG KONG NEWSPAPERS REPORT A READJUSTMENT OF
CHINA'S HONG KONG POLICY


Classified By: E/P Chief Simon Schuchat. Reasons: 1.4(b,d).


1. (C) Summary and Comment: The "Oriental Daily" and its
sister publication "The Sun" reported on February 17 that
during a January 6 Politburo Standing Committee meeting,
members reviewed and readjusted policy towards Hong Kong.
Beijing concluded that the failure of the reform package last
December had been a result of "intervention by foreign
forces." "The Sun" also alleged that Chinese leaders had
begun to raise doubts about Chief Executive (CE) Donald
Tsang's performance, but added that without viable

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alternative CE candidates, Beijing did not intend to replace
Tsang. Comment: The reports, which seem intended to weaken

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Donald Tsang, may have its source among Hong Kong's old-style
"patriotic" leftists, who were never enthusiastic about Tsang
and are, we often hear, gravely dissatisfied and unhappy with
his performance so far. End Summary and Comment.

Politburo Reassesses Policy Towards Hong Kong
--------------


2. (C) The "Oriental Daily" and its sister publication "The
Sun" reported on February 17 that during a January 6
Politburo Standing Committee meeting, members reviewed and
readjusted policy towards Hong Kong. (Note: Both papers have
a reputation for publishing sensational articles, but are
also known to have good mainland contacts. End Note.)
Standing Committee members concluded that the failure of the
reform package last December had been primarily a result of
"intervention by foreign forces." According to sources
interviewed by the "Oriental Daily," the Standing Committee's
new strategy towards Hong Kong will be to "unite those
(people) who ought to be united, to struggle against those
(people) who ought to be struggled against, and to put aside
those (issues) which ought to be put aside."


3. (SBU) The "Oriental Daily" said that the opposition,
including individuals such as former Democratic Party
Chairman Martin Lee, had colluded with "foreign forces" and
had sabotaged the principle of "One Country, Two Systems".
As a result, reported the newspaper, the opposition was now
(sic) perceived as the enemy. However, Beijing would not
view all democrats as the enemy and would continue to lobby
more moderate democrats. The article cited the Central
Government Liaison Office's (CGLO) Lunar New Year reception
invitation to Article 45 Concern Group members and some
democrats as evidence that the central government would
continue to reach out to select democrats.


4. (C) "The Sun" alleged that Chinese leaders had begun to
raise doubts about Chief Executive Donald Tsang's
performance. Despite Tsang's high poll ratings, leaders in
Beijing noted that he had failed to implement political
reforms, to launch any new economic measures, or to
successfully promote the West Kowloon Cultural District.
(Comment: It seems unlikely that the CCP Standing Committee
would care very much about the fate of the West Kowloon
Cultural District, in which Beijing authorities do not have
any stake. End Comment.) Despite these criticisms, the
paper noted that Tsang still had job security; Beijing had
not yet found any better CE candidates.

Beijing Unlikely to Reverse Reconciliation Policy
-------------- --------------


5. (C) Political commentator and National People's Congress
(NPC) delegate Allen Lee told poloff on February 17 that
among pro-HKG figures, there was a growing chorus of
dissatisfaction with CE Tsang's performance. Yesterday,
during a meeting of NPC delegates, Lee said that he was
surprised at how openly pro-Government politicians such as
Jasper Tsang, former Chairman of the Democratic Alliance for
the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong (DAB),had
criticized Tsang. "They (pro-Beijing figures) do not like
Tsang," said Lee.

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6. (C) Chris Yeung, "South China Morning Post"
Editor-at-Large, told us on February 17 that it was not
surprising, if the articles were accurate, that Chinese
leaders would reassess their policy towards Hong Kong. In
the aftermath of the HKG's failure to pass the reform
package, Yeung said that it would be natural for the party to
assess the success of its Hong Kong policy prior to the NPC
and Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference
(CPPCC) meetings in early March. He did not expect any sharp
reversal of the reconciliation strategy pursued by Tsang and
Beijing in the post-C.H. Tung era. Instead, Yeung said that
there would be more minor adjustments of strategy, including

HONG KONG 00000686 002 OF 002


closer monitoring of the Article 45 Concern Group.
Cunningham