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(B) THE IMPORTANCE OF PRESERVING HONG KONG'S AUTONOMY IN EXTERNAL ECONOMIC MATTERS PARTICULARLY IN RESPECT OF TEXTILE QUOTAS. (MR FRANCIS TIEN AND MR F.K. HU)
(C) MOST HONG KONG PEOPLE HAD NO OTHER HOME THAN HONG KONG. THEY HAD A GOVERNMENT RESPONSIVE TO THEIR WISHES, WHICH, ALTHOUGH NOT ELECTED, OPERATED IN A DEMOCRATIC STYLE. HONG KONG WAS A FREE, EQUAL AND OPEN SOCIETY WITHOUT CLASS OR RACIAL DISCRIMINATION AND WITH EQUALITY BEFORE THE LAW. ELECTIONS WERE NOT NECESSARILY A GUARANTEE OF TRUE DEMOCRACY BUT HONG KONG SHOULD EVENTUALLY HAVE AN ELECTED GOVERNMENT. (MR CHAN YING-LUN)
(D) THE NEED FOR HONG KONG TO BE FREE FROM FEAR OF ABSORPTION INTO
A SYSTEM WHERE THE RIGHTS OF INDIVIDUALS WERE SUBORDINATE TO THE STATE. CONTINUED BRITISH ADMINISTRATION WAS THE BEST GUARANTEE OF HONG KONG'S TRADITIONAL FREEDOMS, BUT IF CHANGE WAS INEVITABLE THEN EVERY POSSIBLE SAFEGUARD WAS NEEDED TO ENSURE THE MAINTENANCE OF
STABILITY, PROSPERITY AND WELL-BEING. THE INDEPENDENCE OF THE
JUDICIARY WAS THE MOST IMPORTANT SUCH SAFEGUARD. IF AS SEEMED
PROBABLE APPEALS TO THE PRIVY COUNCIL WERE TO BE DISCONTINUED AFTER
1997 CONSIDERATION SHOULD BE GIVEN TO A SYSTEM OF SECONDMENT FROM
THE ENGLISH BENCH TO A SUPREME COURT OF APPEAL IN HONG KONG
(MR JOHN SWAINE)
(E) IT WAS REMARKABLE THAT HONG KONG HAD STAYED SO CALM AND HAD CONTINUED TO THRIVE UNDER INTOLERABLE CONDITIONS WITH IT FUTURE
BEING DEBATED OVER THE HEADS OF ITS POPULATION. HONG KONG PEOPLE
HAD BEEN SILENT FOR FAR TOO LONG. NO-ONE COULD CLAIM TO HAVE A
PRIOR KNOWLEDGE OR THE RIGHT TO DECIDE WHAT WOULD BE ACCEPTABLE TO
THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG IF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG DID NOT KNOW WHAT THE OPTIONS WERE. (MR ALEX WU)
(F) PEOPLE OF CHINESE RACE IN HONG KONG WERE PLAGUED BY COMPLEX AND CONFLICTING SENTIMENTS OF LOYALTY, RESPECT, NATIONALISM AND DISTRUST FOR THE TWO SIDES. THE CHINESE SIDE WAS ONLY TOO READY TO PRESENT ITS PLAN BUT IT FAILED TO WIN HONG KONG PEOPLE'S CONFIDENCE. CONFIDENTIALITY MADE MATTERS WORSE BY BREEDING SPECULATION, PESSIMISM AND EROSION OF CONFIDENCE. THE SUNDAY
TIMES ARTICLE OF 22 JANUARY MADE THE RUMOURS THAT BRITAIN HAD
ALREADY AGREED TO SURRENDER SOVEREIGNTY AND ADMINISTRATION IN EXCHANGE FOR SATISFACTORY ARRANGEMENTS BEYOND 1997 SEEM MORE REAL, AND WAS NOT DISPUTED OR DENIED BY WHITEHALL. IF THIS WAS TRUE, THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG SHOULD BE TOLD., (MRS. SELINA CHOW)
(G) THE SUPPORT OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG WAS THE KEY ELEMENT
IN SECURING THE COMMON OBJECTIVE OF MAINTAINING HONG KONG'S STABILITY AND PROSPERITY. HONG KONG'S FUTURE WOULD BE MORE ASSURED
IF THE VIEWS OF ITS PEOPLE WERE TAKEN FULLY INTO CONSIDERATION PRIOR TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF CHANGES. A PATERNALISTIC SYSTEM
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