FUTURE OF HONG KONG
Prime Minister's Statement: 4 December
1.
In a written answer to a Parliamentary Question by Mr Robert Parry MP, asking whether the subject of the Hong Kong New Territories lease was discussed during her recent meeting with Chairman Hua Guofeng, the Prime Minister replied:
"There was no discussion of the New Territories lease as such, but the subject of Hong Kong's future was touched upon. Both sides agreed that we shared an interest in maintaining the stability and prosperity of the terri- tory. We agreed to keep in contact on the subject."
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Chinese Views
2. As regards the New Territories lease, the Chinese Govern- ment have made it clear on more than one occasion that they believe it is still too soon to consider this in any detail. This was clearly implicit in the reply that the Chinese Foreign Minister gave to a question about Hong Kong's future that was raised during his press conference in London on 2 November, when he said:
"The lease is due to expire in 1997. So there is still time. The basic attitude of the Chinese Government in this matter is that when the time comes for resolution we will take into consideration the interests of investors so that their interests will not be hurt. This came up in the talks yesterday and both sides agreed to keep in contact in this matter."
3. A similar public assurance that investors "put their minds at ease" was given by the Chinese Vice Premier Deng Xiaoping to the Governor of Hong Kong when the two met in Peking in March of this year.
4.
Às these replies show, the Chinese authorities are aware of the need to reassure investors in Hong Kong that their interests will be fully taken into account when the time does come to consider Hong Kong's future. For the moment, the important thing is that Britain and China have a mutual interest in maintaining Hong Kong's continuing prosperity and stability.
December 1979