24-APR-1992 16:59
JAMES LEE
TRANSCRIPT B
MR.
PC CHRIS PATTEN
-
LONDON
9
-
P. 10
24 APRIL 1992
that I am able to fly in and even out of the airport in the next
five years.
QUESTION:
As the new Hong Kong Governor, how do you assess Sino-British
relations and the China factor in regard to Hong Kong in this next
five years?
MR. PATTEN:
It is very important that we have the best possible relationship
with China and I would want to build on the work that has already
been done to secure that objective. I had some responsibility in
the past for negotiating financial agreements with China when I
was Minister for Overseas Development. I negotiated the second
concessionary financing agreement with the then ambassador in
London, Mr. Gee (phon), who is now at the United Nations; I
subsequently went on two visits to China at which we worked out
some of the details of those agreements and carried forward a good
deal of work in the technical cooperation field which led, for
example, to an increase in the number of scholarships that are
available for Chinese students at British universities so I have
had some experience of working with and negotiating with Chinese
ministers and officials and I look forward to building on that
experience and I hope it is az successful as my endeavours were in
the past.