BUREAU OF BEFORE THE
STATEMENT BY
RICHARD H. SOLOMON ASSISTANT SECRETARY
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EAST ASIAN AND PACIFIC AFFAIRS HOUSE FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
MAY 7, 1992
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CHAIRMAN SOLARZ, REPRESENTATIVE LEACH AND MEMBERS OF THE
SUBCOMMITTEE:
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THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO APPEAR BEFORE YOU TODAY TO
DISCUSS U.S. POLICY TOWARDS HONG KONG. IN MARCH, DURING MY
VISIT TO HONG KONG, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH GOVERNOR
WILSON, MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL AND KEY BUSINESS AND
COMMUNITY LEADERS. I CAN TELL YOU THAT CONFIDENCE IN THE
TERRITORY IS HIGH AND THAT PEOPLE THERE ARE KEENLY INTERESTED
IN OUR DELIBERATIONS HERE TODAY.
LET ME ADD THAT AS A FORMER RESIDENT OF THE TERRITORY AND
AS A CHINA HAND FOR MORE THAN THREE DECADES, THE FUTURE OF HONG
KONG IS A SUBJECT OF GREAT PERSONAL INTEREST. HONG KONG IS
PERHAPS THE WORLD'S MOST DRAMATIC EXAMPLE OF FREE ENTERPRISE;
ITS CONSIDERABLE SUCCESS TESTIFIES TO THE RESULTS THAT FREE
MARKETS, HUMAN ENERGY AND DISCIPLINE CAN PRODUCE. HONG KONG IS
NOW AN ENGINE OF THE REMARKABLE GROWTH TRANSFORMING THE ECONOMY
OF SOUTHERN CHINA. I WOULD ALSO NOTE THAT HONG KONG'S FATE
AFTER 1997 WILL BE A MEASURE OF CHINA'S OWN REFORM EFFORTS AND
OF ITS RELATIONSHIP TO THE INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL
SYSTEM.