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British administration.
The terms of an agreement
between the British and Chinese Governments still
have to be worked out. But it is right for me to
tell you now that it would not be realistic to think
of an agreement that provides for continued British
administration in Hong Kong after 1997. For that
reason, we have been concentrating on other ways of
securing the assurances necessary for the continuity
of Hong Kong's stability, prosperity and way of life.
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I believe there is a basis on which this can be
achieved. The Chinese Government have made it clear
publicly that they recognise the special circumstances
of Hong Kong, and that they want its social and economic
systems and Lifestyle in many ways so different from
those of mainland China - to remain unchanged. We
share with the Chinese Government the strongest
possible common interest in that objective. Our
approach to the talks has, therefore, been to examine
with the Government of China how it might be possible
to arrive at arrangements that would secure for
Hong Kong, after 1997, a high degree of autonomy under
Chinese sovereignty, and that would preserve the way
of life in Hong Kong, together with the essentials of
the present systems.
With this in mind, the British Government's
objectives are clear: a framework of arrangements
that will provide for the maintenance of Hong Kong as
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