Question: What will be the end result of Premier Hua Kuofeng's visit
to Britain next month ?
Mr Blaker: What will be the result of his visit ? I believe and I hope
that it will further cement the excellent relations that we already
have. We will no doubt have a wide range of discussions as well as
all the visits that somebody in Chairman Hua's position normally
makes when he comes to London on an official visit.
Question:
Do you foresee any discussions on Hong Kong's future with
Chairman Hua ?
Mr Blaker: Well, I don't think that you could expect me to say at this point
what we will be talking about with Chairman Hua.
Question: Well there have been rumours about EEC imposing more restrictive
measures with Hong Kong's textiles imports. What is Britain's
position on this ?
Mr Blaker: I don't know about rumours about EEC imposing a more restrictive
regime on Hong Kong's textiles exports. We will do our best to
protect Hong Kong's interest in general in trade discussions in
the EEC. I have had a number of representations since I've been in
Hong Kong about the present regime for Hong Kong's textile exports.
I have replied to people who have discussed this with me but I
think that it would be unrealistic to expect that we could change
the existing arrangements which after all we've agreed between the
EEC countries not long ago. But what we have succeeded in doing,
the British Government has succeeded in doing, is to improve the
... arrange