RESTRICTED
FM FCO
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELNO 543
OF 21163OZ MARCH 91
RESTRICTED
1
hau TOP COPY
Q DIST?
وجر
W
012070
MDHOAN 0326
MIPT: ANNUAL REPORT
THIS IS THE SIXTH ANNUAL REPORT TO PARLIAMENT ON HONG KONG. PURPOSE IS TO KEEP PARLIAMENT INFORMED OF THE MAIN EVENTS AFFECTING THE TERRITORY IN 1990, IN RECOGNITION OF THE IMPORTANCE WHICH THE GOVERNMENT AND PARLIAMENT ATTACH TO THE AFFAIRS OF KONG KONG.
ITS
1990 WAS A YEAR IN WHICH THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG, WITH CHARACTERISTIC RESILIENCE, REGAINED MUCH OF THE CONFIDENCE WHICH HAD BEEN LOST FOLLOWING THE EVENTS OF 1989 IN CHINA. THERE NATURALLY CONTINUES TO BE UNCERTAINTY ABOUT THE FUTURE, BUT HONG KONG IS FACING THE FUTURE WITH A RENEWED SENSE OF PURPOSE.
THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT ARE DOING ALL THEY CAN TO HELP. THE SINO BRITISH JOINT DECLARATION PROVIDES A FOUNDATION AND A FRAMEWORK FOR THE FUTURE. OUR FIRM INTENTION IS TO ENSURE THAT THIS AGREEMENT IS SUCCESSFULLY IMPLEMENTED. THIS REQUIRES EFFECTIVE COOPERATION WITH CHINA, BASED ON MUTUAL TRUST AND A RECOGNITION OF OUR COMMON INTEREST AND SHARED RESPONSIBILITES.
WE HAVE TAKEN CARE TO DEVELOP A PATTERN OF HIGH LEVEL CONTACTS WITH CHINA IN 1990. THE VISIT OF FRANCIS MAUDE TO PEKING IN JULY AND THE VISIT IN NOVEMBER OF THE CHINESE DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER, MR TIAN ZENGPEI, ARE NOTABLE EXAMPLES OF SUCH CONTACTS. I MYSELF VISITED CHINA AND HONG KONG IN APRIL OF THIS YEAR. I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT A GOOD WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH CHINA OVER HONG KONG IS A KEY TO REASSURING THE PEOPLE OF THE TERRITORY ABOUT THEIR FUTURE. THIS WILL BECOME INCREASINGLY IMPORTANT AS 1997 APPROACHES.
THE GOVERNMENT HAVE SOUGHT TO BOLSTER CONFIDENCE IN HONG KONG IN OTHER WAYS TOO. IN NOVEMBER, THE BRITISH NATIONALITY CHONG KONG) ACT BECAME LAW. IT PROVIDES FOR 50,000 KEY WORKERS IN HONG KONG AND THEIR DEPENDENTS TO BE GIVEN FULL BRITISH CITIZENSHIP WITHOUT HAVING TO LEAVE HONG KONG. THE ACT HAS UNDOUBTEDLY HELPED TO PROVIDE REASSURANCE AT A TIME WHEN CONFIDENCE IN THE TERRITORY WAS AT A LOW EBB AND HAS
1
PAGE
RESTRICTED
r