CHINESE Premier Mr Li Peng has blocked pressure from hardline communists for tougher retaliatory action against Britain over the Patten package, it emerged last night.
A mainland source said the premier, often described as a hardliner, had ordered caution in going ahead with the plan to build a ''new kitchen'' for Hongkong after 1997.
''There has been strong sentiment among hardliners at the central leadership and some ministries under the State Council for an early takeover of Hongkong. But Li Peng resisted their pressure and called for a prudent approach in handling the Hongkong question,'' the source said.
Mr Li also toned down a threat to use trade as a weapon to penalise British commercial interests made during his press conference last Wednesday.
Meanwhile, some Hongkong Affairs Advisers adopted a noticeably milder attitude, as they ended two days of talks with mainland officials in Beijing yesterday.
Mr Lo Tak-shing, a close adviser to Hongkong and Macau Affairs Office chief Mr Lu Ping and a leader of the pro-Beijing New Hongkong Alliance, claimed Beijing might have toned down its proposals to dispel worries over an early start of the Preparatory Committee for the Hongkong Special Administrative Region (SAR).
Mr Lo said he was disappointed by the slow progress made in forming the working organ, stressing that there was a pressing need for Beijing to start early preparations for the 1997 hand-over.