There was always going to be some bumping and grinding of gears along the road. On some things we may not be able to
But it does not follow that we have to squabble about
agree.
everything.
There is a great deal to be done between now and 1997.
We need to move ahead steadily, fulfilling our
responsibilities under the Joint Declaration. It is a task
that we would much prefer to carry out in cooperation with our Chinese colleagues. For both the present and future sovereign power, it is Hong Kong's interests your interests - - that must be paramount. It is your system that must be preserved, and protected from manipulation and corruption, if the "one
country two systems" concept is to work.
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