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Commenting on his speech, Wah Kiu Yat Po said permanent residents here were fully aware of the merits of the rule of law and hoped there would not be any change. Their jitters over 1997 might arise from fears that the legal system would not be maintained. In a leading article on 23 April, Kung Sheung Daily News said Mr. Litton should be applauded for providing such a penetrating analysis of the 1997 question. He was right in raising the question as to whether China would tolerate the present legal system after 1997 because the Chinese leadership was not yet open enough to practise capitalism without being accused of abandoning the doctrines of socialism. Besides, how could people have faith in the Chinese government which had been notorious for its policy changes. The right-wing HK Times on 25 April praised Mr. Litton's speech, together with statements by Legislative Councillor, Mr. Stephen Cheong, and the Financial Secretary. They had all tried to convey the message that public confidence was built on freedom of individuals and the rule of law.
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COMMENTS OF MR. STEPHEN CHEONG AND DR. RAYSON HUANG:
Unofficial Legislative Councillor, Mr. Stephen Cheong, told a Rotary Club meeting that confidence in HK was steadily eroding and that the economy would suffer drastically with investors shying away. He forecast a brain drain from the territory if the 1997 question was not settled within two years. But he urged HK people not to panic because all parties involved had a strong interest in the success of the talks and because the leaders of both the UK and Chinese Governments had declared the common aim of maintaining the territory's stability and prosperity. He said there was no evidence that this agreed aim had been changed.
The Vice-Chancellor of HKU, Dr. Rayson Huang, told a luncheon meeting of the University Graduates' Association of HK that graduates should have a positive attitude towards HK's future and they should not think of leaving because in so doing residents' confidence in HK's future would be eroded. His speech prompted the New Evening Post to make a similar call to civil servants and other residents to stay in HK, too. Ming Pao also echoed Dr. Huang's call and urged residents to continue to make contributions to HK.
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REMARKS BY CHINESE OFFICIALS:
The First Secretary of the Fujian Provincial Party Committee, Mr. Xiang Nan, said the Sino-British talks on HK's future had been suspended because of Britain's ambiguous stand on the issue. He was speaking to a group of local journalists covering the Fujian Provincial Party Congress. He reiterated that China was unequivocal on the sovereignty issue and would take back HK when the time was ripe. Ways to maintain HK's prosperity could be found through negotiations with local residents, foreign investors and Britain. HK would preserve its status as a free port and an international financial centre after the Chinese takeover.
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