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Inescapably, the future has to be seen against
the background of one all-important fact - the fact
that 92 per cent of the land area is held under a
lease which expires in 1997. That reality, which no-one
can ignore, means that the future of Hong Kong is
inseparably bound up with the great and historic nation
that is China.
In that situation, the future of a unique society
calls for a unique solution. That is why we have
for the last eighteen months been engaged with the
Chinese Government in the task of exploring, years in
advance, what arrangements can best secure the future of
the territory. Perhaps the most encouraging feature
of this joint endeavour is that the two governments share
a common objective the objective of reaching an
agreement which will ensure the stability and prosperity
of Hong Kong. The Chinese government have many times
made it clear that that is their purpose. And it is,
of course, our own.
The outcome of these negotiations will affect
most of all the people of Hong Kong. It is matural
that they should be anxious. I fully understand their
very real concern.