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1972 1
FUTURE WHICH EXISTED BETWEEN US. THIS WAS WHAT MADE SUCCESS
POSSIBLE. I SHOULD LIKE TO PAY TRIBUTE TO THE HARD WORK AND
DEDICATION OF THE TWO NEGOTIATING TEAMS UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF SIR
GEOFFREY HOWE AND MR WU XUEQIAN. IT IS THANKS TO THE IMAGINATION
AND RESOURCE WHICH THEY SHOWED THAT WE CAN SIGN AN AGREEMENT
TODAY.
6. THE AGREEMENT PROVIDES THE FRAMEWORK IN WHICH AS A SPECIAL
ADMINISTRATIVE REGION OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA, HONG
KONG WILL BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN ITS ECONOMIC SYSTEM AND WAY OF LIFE
AFTER THE FIRST OF JULY 1997. IT PRESERVES HONG KONG'S FAMILIAR
LEGAL SYSTEM AND THE BODY OF LAWS IN FORCE THERE. IT GIVES HONG
KONG A HIGH DEGREE OF AUTONOMY WHEREBY IT WILL BE ABLE TO
ADMINISTER ITSELF AND TO PASS ITS OWN LEGISLATION. IT WILL ALLOW HONG KONG TO CONTINUE TO DECIDE ITS OWN ECONOMIC, FINANCIAL AND TRADE POLICIES AND TO PARTICIPATE AS APPROPRIATE IN INTERNATIONAL
ORGANISATIONS AND AGREEMENTS. IN SHORT IT PROVIDES THE
ASSURANCES FOR THE FUTURE, WHICH HONG KONG NEEDS IN ORDER TO
CONTINUE TO PLAY ITS UNIQUE ROLE IN THE WORLD AS A TRADING AND
FINANCIAL CENTRE.
7. THESE QUALITIES HAVE BEEN RECOGNISED IN THE AGREEMENT BY THE
BRITISH PARLIAMENT AND THE NATIONAL PEOPLE'S CONGRESS OF CHINA
WHICH HAVE APPROVED THE INTENTION OF OUR GOVERNMENTS TO PROCEED
TO SIGNATURE. IT HAS BEEN JUDGED ACCEPTABLE BY PUBLIC OPINION IN
HONG KONG, IT HAS BEEN WIDELY PRAISED BY OTHER GOVERNMENTS, IN
INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS AND IN FINANCIAL AND ECONOMIC
CIRCLES. THE SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE UNITED NATIONS HAS
DESCRIBED IT AS AN EXAMPLE FOR OTHER COUNTRIES OF THE WAY IN
WHICH DIFFICULT INTERNATIONAL PROBLEMS CAN BE SUCCESSFULLY
RESOLVED. HONG KONG CAN I THINK COUNT ON WIDESPREAD
INTERNATIONAL GOODWILL AND SUPPORT IN THE FUTURE.
8. I SHOULD LIKE TO PAY A TRIBUTE TO LEADERS OF CHINA FOR THE
VISION AND FARSIGHTEDNESS OF THEIR APPROACH TO THE NEGOTIATIONS.
THE CONCEPT OF PRESERVING TWO DIFFERENT POLITICAL, SOCIAL AND
ECONOMIC SYSTEMS WITHIN ONE NATION HAS NO PRECEDENT. IT OFFERS
AN IMAGINATIVE RESPONSE TO THE SPECIAL HISTORICAL CIRCUMSTANCES
OF HONG KONG. THOUGH CIRCUMSTANCES ELSEWHERE ARE VERY DIFFERENT,
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CONFIDENTIAL FUTURE EGRET