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DSR 11C (Revised 5/87)
That was
Kong. A very great deal of ground must now be made up.
The primary responsibility for the restoration of
confidence in Hong Kong has to lie with China.
the message of the Paris Economic Summit where the
world's seven most important industrialised countries
call on the Government of China to do what is necessary
to restore confidence in Hong Kong and recognised that
the support of the international community will be an
important element in the maintenance of confidence in
Hong Kong.
In Confidence
The British Government will continue to spare no
effort in discharging our responsibility for the
administration of Hong Kong before 1997, and we will do
all we can to reassure Hong Kong people about their
future. Many people in Hong Kong have expressed the view
that Britain has a moral obligation to give right of
abode to all British nationals in Hong Kong, if not to
the entire population of the territory. They argue that
an insurance policy for all would underpin the confidence
of those who wish to remain in Hong Kong and that
comparatively few Hong Kong people would in practice wish
to take up right of abode in Britain. It is perfectly
natural that Hong Kong people should want to prepare for
the worst and to make some provision for the ultimate
security of themselves and their families. But as I had
to make clear during my visit to Hong Kong earlier this
month there is simply no way that the British Government
could grant to several million people the right to come
and live in Britain. Immigration on such a massive scale