Patten meets Peking's man

LONDON - Chris Patten, the new Governor of Hong Kong, met China's chief representative in the colony, Zhou Nan, for the first time yesterday, Raymond Whitaker writes. Mr Zhou, director of the New China News Agency in Hong Kong, has been away having medical treatment.

Few details were given of the meeting, which lasted nearly two hours, but Mr Zhou's agency reported that they had discussed the HKdollars 175.3bn ( pounds 11.8bn) new airport project, which has been stalled because of China's objections to the financing arrangements.

Also likely to have been on the agenda is the timing of Mr Patten's first visit to China. On 7 October he will outline his policies in a speech to the Legislative Council.