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THAT THE VERY FULL AND DETAILED PROVISIONS OF THE JOINT
DECLARATION AND ITS ANNEXES WILL BE STIPULATED IN THE BASIC LAW.
MY DISCUSSIONS IN PEKING HAVE REASSURED ME THAT THE CHINESE
GOVERNMENT ARE FULLY AWARE OF THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS BASIC LAW,
AND OF THE CONCERN IN HONG KONG THAT HONG KONG PEOPLE SHOULD BE
CONSULTED ABOUT IT. OPEN SQUARE BRACKET ADD ANY ASSURANCES
ASSURANCES OBTAINED IN THE VISIT CLOSE SQUARE BRACKET.
7. BRITAIN'S RESPONSIBILITIES ARE NOT LIMITED TO ENCOURAGING
OTHER GOVERNMENTS TO FACILITATE THE SMOOTH IMPLEMENTATION OF THE
AGREEMENT. OUR RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF HONG
KONG UP TO 1997 IS CLEARLY STATED IN THE JOINT DECLARATION.
THROUGHOUT THE NEGOTIATIONS OUR COMMITMENT TO HONG KONG HAS BEEN
MANIFEST. NOW THAT THE AGREEMENT IS SIGNED, I PLEDGE HER
MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT'S FULLEST EFFORTS IN THE YEARS TO 1997 TO
ENSURE THAT HONG KONG CONTINUES TO HAVE A STABLE AND RESPONSIVE
GOVERNMENT, ADMINISTERING HONG KONG IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF ITS
PEOPLE.
8. THE AGREEMENT OF ITSELF CANNOT BRING ABOUT A SUCCESSFUL
FUTURE FOR HONG KONG. THAT LIES, AS IT ALWAYS HAS DONE, LARGELY
IN YOUR HANDS. YOU, THE HONG KONG PEOPLE, HAVE EARNED THE
RESPECT OF THE ENTIRE WORLD FOR THE ASTONISHING SUCCESS STORY
WHICH YOU HAVE WRITTEN. YOU HAVE CONTRIBUTED RESILIENCE,
IMAGINATION AND SHEER HARD WORK. ABOVE ALL YOU HAVE SHOWN THE
COURAGE TO ADAPT TO CHANGING CIRCUMSTANCES. THE DEVELOPMENT OF
REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT IN HONG KONG IS PART OF THE SAME
PROCESS OF CONSTRUCTIVE CHANGE. HER MAJETY'S GOVERNMENT FULLY
SUPPORTS THIS PROCESS, WHICH WILL TAKE ON A FORM OF HONG KONG'S
OWN CHOOSING.
9.
HONG KONG, MORE THAN MOST PLACES, LOOKS OUTWARDS FOR ITS
LIVELIHOOD. IT FINDS READY MARKETS IN THE DEVELOPED WORLD. IT
IS NATURAL THAT TRADERS AND INVESTORS SHOULD HAVE WATCHED
CAREFULLY THE NEGOTIATIONS AND THEIR OUTCOME. THEY WANTED TO BE
ASSURED THAT THEIR INVESTMENTS WOULD BE PROTECTED, THEIR SOURCES
OF SUPPLY REMAIN RELIABLE, AND THEIR FREEDOM TO MOVE FUNDS FREELY
IN AND OUT WOULD REMAIN UNTRAMELLED. ALL THESE HAVE BEEN ASSURED
IN THE AGREEMENT. IT IS NOT SURPRISING THAT THE GOVERNMENTS OF
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