THE AGREEMENT FULLY MEETS THE POLITICAL REQUIREMENTS OF BRITAIN AND CHINA, AS WELL AS THE INTERESTS OF THE
HONG KONG PEOPLE. IT PROVIDES THE FRAMEWORK IN WHICH
AS A SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION OF THE PEOPLE'S
REPUBLIC OF CHINA, HONG KONG WILL MAINTAIN ITS ECONOMIC SYSTEM AND WAY OF LIFE FOR 50 YEARS AFTER THE FIRST OF JULY
1997. IT GIVES HONG KONG A HIGH DEGREE OF AUTONOMY:
HONG KONG PEOPLE WILL ADMINISTER HONG KONG AND THE
SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION WILL PASS ITS OWN LEGISLATION.
IT ALLOWS HONG KONG TO CONTINUE TO DECIDE ITS OWN ECONOMIC
FINANCIAL AND TRADE POLICIES AND TO PARTICIPATE AS APPROPIATE
IN INTERNATIONAL ORGANISTATIONS AND AGREEMENTS. IT PRESERVES
HONG KONG'S FAMILIAR LEGAL SYSTEM AND THE RIGHTS AND
FREEDOMS ENJOYED THERE, 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.
THESE QUALITIES IN THE AGREEMENT HAVE BEEN RECOGNISED BY
THE BRITISH PARLIAMENT AND BY THE STANDING COMMITTEE OF THE
NATIONAL PEOPLE'S CONGRESS OF CHINA, WHICH HAVE APPROVED
THE INTENTION OF OUR GOVERNMENTS TO PROCEED TO SIGNATURE.
THE AGREEMENT HAS BEEN SUBJECT TO A THOROUGH PUBLIC
DEBATE AMONG THOSE WHOSE FUTURE IT WILL DERTERMINE THE
PEOPLE OF HONG KONG. ALTHOUGH THEY HAVE EXPRESSED SOME
RESERVATIONS AND SOUGHT CLARIFICATION ON PARTICULAR POINTS,
THEY HAVE CLEARLY JUDGED IT ACCEPTABLE TO THEM AS A WHOLE. THE AGREEMENT 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. INTERNATIONAL GOODWILL AND SUPPORT WRGL BE VITAL FOR HONG KONG IN THE FUTURE, AND N HAVE NO DOUBT THAT
IT WILL BE FORTHCOMING.
IESHOULD LIKE TO PAY A TRIBUTE TO THE LEADERS OF CHINA
FOR THE VISION AND FARSIGHTEDNESS OF THEIR APPROACH TO THE
NEGOTIATIONS. THE CONCEPT OF ONE COUNTRY, TWO SYSTEMS'' 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. THE CONCEPT IS AN EXAMPLE OF HOW APPARENTLY ITRACTABLE PROBLEMS CAN, AND SHOULD BE RESOLVED.
THE AGREEMENT 4S A BASIS ON WHICH THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG WILL BUILD. THEY WILL BRING TO THE TASK ENERGY, PERSISTENCE AND DETERMINATION FOR WHICH THEY ARE REIGHTLY FAMOUS THROUGHOUT
THE WORLD. AM CONFIDENT THAT THEY WILL MAKE HONG KONG AN
EVEN MORE FLOUR:ISING PLACE THAN IT IS TODAY.
BRITAIN AND CHINA SHARE A CONTINUING RESPONSIBILITY TO
MAINTAIN THE CONDITIONS WITHIN WHICH THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG
CAN REALISE THIS GOAL. WE HAVE LAID THE FOUNDATION IN THIS
SOLENN INTERNATIONAL AGREEMNT. WE HAVE CREATED, IN THE SINO-
BRITISH JOINT LIAISON GROUP, A FORUM FOR CO-OPERATION OVER
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