Daily Telegraph, 27 September 1984, Hong Kong pact awaits the
verdict of time"
"The draft agreement on the future of Hongkong initialled yesterday
contains everything the British Government and the colony itself
could reasonably have expected to get from months of hard bargaining where China always held the stronger hand. It is more detailed and contains more explicit assurances and safeguards than anyone
expected, even in the last few weeks".
The Times, 27 September 1984 (Executive Editor, Kenneth Fleet)
13 years is a long time in Chinese politics
"Allowing for the basic distaste of many inhabitants of being handed
to the People's Republic, the agreement is the best that could
be hoped for and much better than many sceptics had thought
possible. While many of the details, particularly on land leases,
shipping and freedom from exchange control, are in themselves
encouraging, both to domestic and foreign investors, it is the very
accumulation of detail that is most reassuring".
Daily Express, 27 September 1984, Express Opinion:
Hong Kong a deal resting on hope,
"This is the best deal possible, in the circumstances"
Financial Times, 27 September 1984, An agreement on trial,
"The draft agreement on the future of Hong Kong is a remarkable
document which goes as far as is reasonable, and a good deal further
than might have been predicted, in prescribing principles and
practices which should help maintain the stability and prosperity of
Hong Kong after the transfer of sovereignty to China in 1997. that sense, it is a considerable achievement by the British
negotiators.'
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