HKB 0261
026/3
RECE
21 FEB 1990
INDEX
Paul, HKD
(111)
Ps/M Mande Ps/hard Brabazon
Psl pus
M Gillmere
M Mchever
м
ли вили, пешо
With permission, Mr Speaker; VI shat make a statement
on my visit to Hong Kong from 13 to 16 January.
Dept
PRO Special Adeser
M Yeo
SEAD
I went to show this country's continuing commitment to
Hong Kong; to meet a representative cross section of
the community and to discuss the issues of prime
concern to Hong Kong in the period before 1997: these
are the operation of the nationality package which I
announced to the House on 20 December and the pace and
extent of democratisation in Hong Kong.
I also discussed the problem of the Vietnamese boat
people and visited a refugee camp and a camp at which
boat people are screened for refugee status.
Hong Kong has become the world's eleventh largest
economy because of the unique combination of British
administration and justice and the talent and energy of
its people. The immediate sense of fear caused by the
events in China last June has lifted but those events
dealt a substantial blow to Hong Kong's self confidence
and the exodus of the talent which is needed to keep
Hong Kong prosperous has continued. It is vital that
those people should stay. Everyone to whom I spoke (in
the Executive and Legislative Councils, one of the
District Boards, the business community, public
servants and other groups) had hoped that the package I