JIMMY YOUNG:
says
Ma
Sk
Mrs ertig wrote to us from St Austell in Cornwall, and she
we've discussed some wide-ranging questions today, I'll say
that what does Britain intend to do when its lease on liong Kong
runs out because with all the amount of British money invested
there it seems to me it would be a shame to give it up.
RT HON LOND CARINGTON PC HONG MC:
There's certainly a lot of money invested in Hong Kong and it's an exceedingly prosperous place, and if any of you have visited it recently you will bear that out. The lease runs out in 1997, and obviously we shall have to talk to the Chinese about it, but what the Chinese have said to investors and othors in Hong Kong is put
your hearts at rest. And there is a good relationship between ourselves and the Chinese at the moment and obviously we shall have
to negotiate with them.
What are relations like between Westminster and the local
Hong kong administration?
RT HON LD.C.:
Are they good?
Oh yes.
You see there's a British governor in Hong Kong and he really runs the island with the help of an administration, with the help of a Chinese council a ilong kong Chinese council and they are very good indeed. And I don't think we have any difficultios or problems with them at all.
J.Y.:
What do you think would be the likely Chinese attitude towards the renegotiation of the treaty, because I mean Hong Kong has certain uses for China one imagines.
RT HON LD.C.:
Yos they have. 1 think it's much too early to say what the
-
Chinose I don't suppose the Chinese have themselves made up their mind what they want to do. But they would certainly, I think, not wish to see the economy of Hong Kong go downhill, and it is a
can So I hope that we vory useful outlet for them in China. to a sensible and agreeable conclusion which satisfies everybody.
J.Y.:
come
And how about any proposed changes in the nationality law, how would that affect our responsibility towards Hong Kong?
RT HON LD.C.:
In our nationality law?
J.Y.:
Yos.