CHINA stepped up the war of words over the future of Hong Kong yesterday, threatening to ignore the results of democratic elections proposed by Mr Chris Patten, the colony's governor, once it assumes control in 1997. It also accused him of slamming the door on further talks. Mr Lu Ping, China's senior official for Hong Kong affairs, said that if Mr Patten pressed ahead with his democratic reforms Beijing would start a 'new kitchen' in 1997 - a Chinese expression which means making a fresh start. Mr Lu also added his voice to personal criticism of the governor, saying that he would be condemned by history over his handling of the Hong Kong issue. Speaking at a Beijing press conference, he left the door open, however, for further contacts with Britain, saying that China 'always stands for co-operation, and not confrontation'. In London, the Foreign Office stressed that it was still offering 'talks at any time'. An official added: 'The only sensible way forward is for the two sides to sit down and discuss without preconditions the points of difference between us.' The remarks by Mr Lu, head of China's Hong Kong and Macao Affairs office, were greeted with relief by the Hong Kong stock market, which had been bracing itself for a more uncompromising stand. The Hang Seng index was some 200 points down before Mr Lu's press conference, but recovered most of its losses to close at 5,958.33, down 21.7 on the day. Mr Lu said: 'We will construct a kitchen in accordance with the design in the Basic Law. We have to do this because the kitchen started by Mr Chris Patten before 1997 will not converge with the stipulations of the Basic Law after 1997.' The Basic Law is a mini-constitution for Hong Kong after 1997 which was approved by China's parliament in 1990. Mr Lu said China would have to make preparations ahead of 1997 for the cancellation of Mr Patten's proposed democratic reforms; but he stopped short of saying China would set up an alternative administration in Hong Kong before the end of British rule. He also refrained from repeating economic threats made by China last year, although it seems unlikely that Britain will win China's agreement to complete Hong Kong's Dollars 175bn (Pounds 123bn) airport project, or further develop the colony's container port. In Beijing, Sir Robin McLaren, Britain's ambassador, regretted the continuing personal attacks on Mr Patten. He said that decisions over Hong Kong were 'taken by the British government as a whole'. In Hong Kong, Mr Patten reiterated his preparedness to hold talks with China about his proposed 1994-95 elections. But in spite of the governor's attempts to calm growing concerns over the row with Beijing, local politicians were pessimistic about an early solution. Page 4 Hong Kong greets Patten with a very Asian smile Beijing's sound and fury Hong Kong stocks, Page 39
China threatened to ignore the results of democratic elections proposed by Governor Patten for Hong Kong when China assumes control in 1997. But Lu Ping did say that China always stands for co-operation, not confrontation. The Chinese government has been accused of using its influence over Hong Kong's political system and judiciary to suppress democracy protests since last year. Lu Ping refrained from repeating economic threats made the previous year, but it is unlikely that Britain will win China's agreement to complete the Hong Kong airport project. Britain's ambassador to China regretted the personal attacks on Patten and said that decisions over Hong Kong were taken by the British government as a whole.