Beijing`s Negotiation Habits as Seen from the Talks over Hong Kong`s New Airport Project

Abstract

The New Airport Project of Hong Kong was officially announced in October 1989. However, the lack of Beijing`s endorsement affected the desire of Hong Kong and international consortia to invest in the project to such an extent that little progress was made with relevant construction plans. Finally, Beijing and Britian reached an agreement after five rounds of talks and signed a Memorandum of Understanding Concerning the Construction of the New Airport in Hong Kong and Related Questions in September 1991. At present, though Beijing and Britain have yet to resolve financial arrangements far the New Airport Project, the construction of infrastructure associated with the new airport is under way. Moreover, the two sides reached consensus about the Draft Regulations on the New Airport Authority in March 1995. From the five rounds of the talks on the New Airport Project, Beijing obtained both substantial economic benefits and symbolic dipomatic benefits. The distinctive characteristics of Beijing`s negotiating behavior also were evident during these talks. In short, Beijing tried to achieve ifs negotiation objectives by insisting on its stand and principles, propagandizing in mass media, and guiding the focus of the talks.