CONFIDENTIAL
163427
MDHOAN 6680
ALREADY SHOWN RESILIENCE, DETERMINATION, DRIVE - ONLY IN STILL GREATER MEASURE. IT IS A TASK WHICH, WHEN WE ACCOMPLISH IT SUCCESSFULLY AS WE ARE GOING TO DO WILL PROVIDE A SHINING EXAMPLE TO THE WORLD OF PARTNERSHIP AND CO-OPERATION BETWEEN PEOPLES AND NATIONS FOR THE GOOD OF ALL.
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6. WHAT WE HAVE TO DO IN THE CLOSING YEARS OF THIS TUMULTUOUS CENTURY IS TO TURN FROM EARNEST HOPE TO FIRM REALITY, THAT HISTORIC AND FAR-SIGHTED CONCEPT - ONE COUNTRY, TWO SYSTEMS'.
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7. WHEN WE HAVE ACHIEVED THAT, WE WILL HAVE FULFILLED THE PROMISE ENSHRINED IN THE JOINT DECLARATION: A STABLE AND PROSPEROUS HONG KONG, WHOSE FUTURE FOUNDED IN THAT DECLARATION
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- IS SECURE: A HONG KONG THAT CHERISHES AND MAINTAINS ITS
PRESENT LIFESTYLE: A CAPITALIST HEART BEATING AT THE CENTRE OF ASIA, PUMPING PROSPERITY EVER MORE WIDELY.
8. THAT ACHIEVEMENT WILL BE GOOD FOR THE PEOPLE OF TODAY'S HONG
KONG: GOOD FOR THE PEOPLE OF THE HONG KONG OF TOMORROW: GOOD FOR CHINA: GOOD FOR BRITAIN: GOOD FOR THE CLOSE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN OUR TWO ANCIENT CIVILISATIONS: AND IT WILL - AS A NEW CENTURY UNFOLDS BE GOOD FOR THE WORLD.
9.
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AS YOU KNOW, I DON'T COME TODAY AS A STRANGER TO THE TERRITORY. I HAVE VISITED HONG KONG BOTH AS A BACKBENCH
MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT AND AS A MINISTER. BUT I HAVE NEVER LIVED HERE, AND NOR HAS MY FAMILY. MY WIFE, LAVENDER, MY DAUGHTERS LAURA, ALICE AND KATE (WHO IS NOT HERE TODAY) JOIN WITH ME IN EXPRESSING OUR ENTHUSIASM AT THE PROSPECT OF MAKING OUR HOME IN
HONG KONG AND GETTING TO KNOW THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE.
10.
I AM, OF COURSE, VERY MUCH AWARE OF THE CONSIDERABLE ACHIEVEMENTS OF MY PREDECESSOR. LORD WILSON HAS BEEN A FRIEND FOR MANY YEARS. HE WAS AN EXCELLENT GOVERNOR OF HONG KONG, MARVELLOUSLY SUPPORTED BY LADY WILSON. I KNOW THAT THEY ARE BOTH HELD IN HIGH REGARD AND MUCH AFFECTION. THROUGHOUT HIS DISTINGUISHED CAREER AS DIPLOMAT AND THEN GOVERNOR, LORD WILSON HAS DONE AS MUCH AS ANY MAN TO STRENGTHEN THE BONDS BETWEEN BRITAIN AND CHINA TO THE BENEFIT OF HONG KONG: TO TRY TO ENSURE THAT OUR NATIONS UNDERSTAND ONE ANOTHER BETTER: AND ABOVE ALL TO SERVE YOU, THE PEOPLE OF THIS TERRITORY. HIS HAS BEEN AN EXEMPLARY CAREER OF PUBLIC SERVICE.
11.
FOR MY OWN PART, I PLEDGE MYSELF TO DEVOTE ALL MY ENERGY TO
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