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THE CHANCE NEXT WEEK TO SEE OTHER PARTS OF YOUR COUNTRY.
(4) BUT I AM ALREADY CLEAR, AND INDEED WAS BEFORE I LEFT BRITAIN, ABOUT THE QUALITIES OF YOUR PEOPLE, YOUR LEADERSHIP AND YOUR POLICIES. YOUR LEADERS HAVE BEEN THE FIRST TO ADMIT THAT THE PATH OF REFORM AND OPENING THEY HAVE EMBARKED ON IS NOT AN EASY ONE. BUT THEY ARE PURSUING IT WITH GREAT COURAGE AND GREAT CONSISTENCY. WE WELCOME AND SUPPORT THAT. FOR YOUR AIMS OF NATIONAL SECURITY, INTERNATIONAL PEACE, ECONOMIC GROWTH AND EFFICIENCY ARE ALSO OUR AIMS. AND OF COURSE WE HAE A VERY SPECIAL, VERY CLOSE COMMON INTEREST IN FULFILLING OUR OBLIGATIONS FOR THE FUTURE STABILITY AND PROSPERITY OF HONG KONG.
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(5) SO MY GOVERNMENT ARE VERY SATISFIED WITH THE STATE OF OUR RELATIONS. BUT YET NOT REALLY SATISFIED: BECAUSE WE ARE CONVINCED WE OUGHT TO BE DOING MORE. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE BRITISH BUSINESSMEN AND EXPERTS INVOLVED IN THE ECONOMIC CONSTRUCTION OF CHINA AND BUILDING UP OUR TRADE FOR MORAL BENEFIT. I WOULD LIKE SEE OUR OFFICIALS AT ALL LEVELS EXCHANGING MORE INFORMATION ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND FINDING NEW AREAS OF COMMON INTEREST. WE ARE ON THE RIGHT PATH BUT WE OUGHT TO GO FURTHER. BECAUSE AS WE IN BRITAIN HAVE LEARNED IN RECENT TIMES, COOPERATION DOES NOT WEAKEN A COUNTRY OR DAMAGE ITS INDEPENDENCE. ON THE CONTRARY IT IS THE BEST WAY FOR A COUNTRY TO DISPLAY ITS SPECIAL STRENGTHS AND QUALITIES: TO DEFEND ITS SPECIAL INTERESTS: AND TO DISCOVER BENEFITS THAT IT MIGHT NEVER HAVE ACHIEVED ON ITS OWN. OUR TWO COUNTRIES HAVE SET A UNIQUE EXAMPLE IN THE CASE OF HONG KONG. I AM CONVINCED WE CAN MANAGE IT IN OTHER AREAS AS WELL.
(6) MAY I PROPOSE A TOAST TO THE HEALTH OF VICE-MINISTER ZHOU NAN AND OF MADAME HUANG GUO, THE HEALTH OF THE AMBASSADOR AND LADY DONALD AND ALL OTHER FRIENDS PRESENT, THE STRENGTH AND SUCCESS OF BOTH OUR COUNTRIES AND TO OUR EVER CLOSER COOPERATION IN FUTURE. GAN BEI EXCLAM
TEXT ENDS.
DONALD
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