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17.
Throughout our conduct of the negotiations on Hong Kong's future, the anxieties and concern of the
people of the territory have been at the forefront of our minds. I am very conscious that it is their future
and their livelihood which is at stake. In particular I understand the concerns of those people in Hong Kong
who hold British nationality, mainly as British Dependent Territories Citizens. I have to say that I do not
believe that either this Parliament or successor would favour any arrangement which resulted in mass
emigration from Hong Kong, to the UK or elsewhere. We are therefore looking for an arrangement which, while
not bolting the door, would provide a real future for Hong Kong people in Hong Kong.
18.
I believe that this is both realistic and achievable. I have been impressed by the courage of
Hong Kong people, just as I have been impressed by the sense of responsibility and commitment displayed by
members of Hong Kong's public service. The resilience and initiative which the Hong Kong people have shown
in the past will once again be tested. I am confident that they will have the strength and the
determination to contemplate their future constructively and in a spirit of realism, with a sense of
commitment to their community.
19. The development of Government in Hong Kong along increasingly representative lines, which I fully
endorse, will give people there the means and, I hope, the confidence to contribute more fully to their own
future. That is particularly important because in practice already it is people in Hong Kong not HMG, who
manage the day to day life of Hong Kong. The decisions affecting Hong Kong society, its economy, its
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