HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
5 July 1989
香港立法局
·九八九年七月五日
75
British Government can deliver, what else can the British Government do? But what a curious way for the Secretary of State to choose to do the honourable thing for Hong Kong by refusing to issue an insurance policy which, according to him, no British Government could honour. For myself I find it illogical for the Secretary of State to rely on inability of any future British Government to honour any such policy. Perhaps, he is telling us that even if the present British Government were to restore full British citizenship to Hong Kong British subjects, a future British Government may take it away as it was done before. I cannot believe that it could happen a second time.
But, Sir, life goes on. We must tackle the problems that lie ahead. However, for the record I must say I cannot pretend that I am happy with the nationality package recommended by the FAC. Turning now to the Joint Declaration and the assumption that it remains "the best foundation for Hong Kong's future" it is important to ask how the British Government hopes to persuade China to play its part. We at least know one effect the events of 3 to 4 June in Tiananmen have had: it shook up the British Government but has it woken up the Chinese Government? I do not wholly subscribe to the view expressed in paragraph 4.3 of the FAC report that China will not be able to close the door again to the outside world. Britain may have shut the door on Hong Kong before. Let her not forget that China could do the same in 1997. However, for the moment I still have a little faith in the ability of the British Government so that I am prepared to wait a little to see what guarantees it will be able to persuade China to give to Hong Kong. Sir, in this connection I would unreservedly commend to Britain and China that they re-evaluate paragraph 4 of the Joint Declaration.
I firmly believe that paragraph 4 is the key to any future discussions between Britain and China. It is most interesting and perhaps ironic that China can ask as much of Britain as Britain can ask of China under paragraph 4 provided of course the object of the exercise is the economic prosperity and the social stability of Hong Kong. In this context, one point that deserves some mention is paragraph 3.6 of the FAC report, where the recommendation is that Hong Kong should go ahead with the second airport as soon as possible. I am sure we have to re-evaluate the position and if the decision is to go ahead would it not be a tangible show of British confidence if Britain were to participate as a partner and/or provider of funds in this project? I do not propose, Sir, to set out exhaustively today what I believe Hong Kong is entitled to expect of Britain but I do need to ask the FAC and the British Government this: how can the Joint Declaration be enforced and what is the remedy in the event of a breach? Or are we to assume, contrary to what history has taught us, that countries do not break international agreements. Suffice it to say that the FAC report on the Joint