CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 2989
OF 240745Z SEPTEMBER 91
CONFIDENTIAL
HKB 011/11
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
(3
152130
MDHIAN 4248
? JLC acceleratie
PERSONAL FOR RICKETTS HKD. FROM GOVERNOR.
PEKING PERSONAL FOR AMBASSADOR.
UKREP JLG PERSONAL FOR GALSWORTHY.
MY SECOND IPT: MY ANNUAL ADDRESS TO LEGCO: 9 OCTOBER.
1. TEXT OF SECTION ON RELATIONS WITH CHINA IS AS FOLLOWS:
BEGINS:
17. IN LESS THAT SIX YEARS, CHINA WILL RESUME SOVEREIGNTY OVER HONG KONG. THIS SIMPLE NUMBER DEMONSTRATES WHY FOR THE ADMINISTRATION, AS WELL AS THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE, MANAGEMENT OF THE TRANSITION TO 1997 IS OF GREATEST SIGNIFICANCE. IT EXPLAINS THE IMPORTANCE WHICH WE MUST ATTACH TO ESTABLISHING A HARMONIOUS AND EFFECTIVE PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR COUNTERPARTS AT ALL LEVELS IN CHINA.
18. HONG KONG HAS DEVELOPED SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC SYSTEMS VERY DIFFERENT FROM THOSE OF CHINA. PARTLY FOR THIS REASON, RELATIONS BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES HAVE NOT ALWAYS BEEN AS SMOOTH AS WE WOULD HAVE LIKED. BECAUSE HISTORY HAS GIVEN HONG KONG A DIFFERENT STYLE OF RUNNING ITS AFFAIRS, POLITICAL AS WELL AS ECONOMIC, WE CANNOT ASSUME THAT OUR WAY OF DOING THINGS WILL BE IMMEDIATELY UNDERSTOOD OR APPRECIATED IN PEKING.
-
19. IF WE ARE TO BUILD THE SORT OF PARTNERSHIP WITH CHINA THAT WE NEED, IT IS VITAL THAT ALL OF US, MEMBERS OF THIS COUNCIL, CIVIL SERVANTS AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC, STRIVE TO PRESENT OUR HONG KONG POINT OF VIEW PATIENTLY AND CAREFULLY AND BE PREPARED TO LISTEN WITH EQUAL CARE AND PATIENCE. OUR AIM AND EXPECTATION SHOULD BE THAT THE GOOD SENSE AND GOOD WILL WHICH HAVE RESOLVED DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES SINCE THE JOINT DECLARATION WILL CONTINUE TO PREVAIL. THIS EXPECTATION HAS BEEN GIVEN FRESH LIFE BY THE PRIME MINISTER'S VISIT TO PEKING LAST MONTH AND THE SIGNING OF THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING ON THE NEW AIRPORT.
PAGE 1 CONFIDENTIAL