China drops hints about 1997
Seven times since September 1982, negotiators from China and Britain have gathered in Peking to discuss what will happen to Hong Kong after 1997, when the British lease on 90% of the territory expires. Seven times they have emerged with vague statements that their discussions proved "useful and constructive." But with the eighth round of talks due to begin this week in Peking, Chinese officials mysteriously became quite forthcoming. In San Francisco last week, Premier Zhao Ziyang declared that "Hong Kong will remain unchanged for at least 50 years after 1997." In an interview in...
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