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DSR 11C (Revised 5/87)
12. Nor have recent events changed the underlying
reality that the Joint Declaration is a good agreement
for China as well as Hong Kong. The firmest guarantee of
any agreement is that it is based on common interest.
China has a massive stake in Hong Kong's continuing
success, both economically and politically. That stake
has not been diminished by recent events.
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In Confidence
13.
These fundamental perceptions form the bedrock of
our thinking as we set out to rebuild confidence. That
is why the Joint Declaration remains the central element
in our work to safeguard Hong Kong's future. But this
does not mean that we can all sit back. We always
recognised that the Joint Declaration was not the end of
the story but the beginning. Since 1985 we have been
engaged in a continuous process of negotiation with the
Chinese through the Sino-British Joint Liaison Group and
other channels, to ensure that the provisions of the
Joint Declaration will be fully implemented.
A vast
amount of hard work has already been done on this.
Now,
after Tiananmen, we shall be working all the harder to
ensure that Hong Kong's future is as secure as the letter
and spirit of the Joint Declaration intend.
14.
But first, China must act to restore faith in its
commitment to its international obligations under the
Joint Declaration. The Chinese have said publicly, and
have assured us privately too, that their policy towards
Hong Kong will not be affected by the recent events and
that they, like we, remain committed to the Joint