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FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 1984
STATEMENT ON HONG KONG AT COMMONS DEBATE
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THE FOLLOWING IS THE FULL TEXT OF THE STATEMENT DEALING WITH HONG KONG, BY THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS, ŠIR GEOFFREY HOWE, DURING THE FOREIGN AFFAIRS DEBATE IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS ON MARCH 22:
HONG KONG IS ONE OF THE MOST STRIKING EXAMPLES OF SUCCESSFUL ENTERPRISE ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD. ITS SUCCESS CAN BE ATTRIBUTED TO A UNIQUE SYNTHESIS OF BRITISH AND CHINESE TALENT. WE ARE NOW ENGAGED WITH THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA IN NEGOTIATIONS OVER THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG WITH THE COMMON AIM OF ENABLING THIS ENTERPRISE TO CONTINUE AND TO FLOURISH.
THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG ARE UNDERSTANDABLY CONCERNED TO BE ABLE TO PRESERVE THE VITAL ELEMENTS IN THEIR SOCIETY. WHAT THEY MOST WISH TO SEE IS THE PROSPECT OF CONTINUITY IN THE SYSTEMS AND THE FREEDOMS WHICH CHARACTERISE HONG KONG LIFE TODAY.
THEY WISH TO BE CERTAIN THAT THE ESSENTIAL FOUNDATIONS OF THEIR WAY OF LIFE WILL BE MAINTAINED INTO THE FUTURE: THAT THE BASIS OF THE CURRENT LEGAL AND SOCIAL SYSTEMS WILL CONTINUE THAT HONG KONG'S ECONOMY WILL REMAIN OPEN TO WORLD MARKETS: THAT THEY WILL BE ABLE TO SPEAK AND MEET AND TRAVEL AS THEY WISH. HMG FULLY UNDERSTAND THAT CONCERN.
WE MUST AND DO BEAR IN MIND THE REALITIES OF THE SITUATION AND THE UNIQUE HISTORICAL AND GEOGRAPHICAL CIRCUMSTANCES OF HONG KONG. AT PRESENT, CONTINUITY IS ASSURED BY BRITISH ADMINISTRATION.
BUT IN 1997, BRITAIN'S LEASE OF 92 PER CENT OF THE TERRITORY COMES TO AN END. IT IS IN THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT IT BECOMES POSSIBLE AND INDEED DESIRABLE TO VISUALISE OTHER WAYS IN WHICH CONTINUITY CAN BE ASSURED.
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OUR TASK, IN THE LIGHT OF THESE REALITIES, IS TO ENSURE THE NECESSARY CONTINUITY IN HONG KONG'S SYSTEMS. THIS WILL PRESENT MANY CHALLENGES FOR US, FOR CHINA AND, OF COURSE, FOR THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG THEMSELVES. BUT IT IS IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT WE ARE CONDUCTING THE NEGOTIATIONS AGAINST THE BACKGROUND OF OUR FRIENDLY RELATIONSHIP WITH THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA I AND WITH AN AGREED COMMON OBJECTIVE: TO ENSURE THE CONTINUING STABILITY AND PROSPERITY OF HONG KONG.
IN THE SECOND MORE DETAILED PHASE OF NEGOTIATIONS THAT BEGAN IN JULY LAST YEAR, TEN ROUNDS OF INTENSIVE TALKS HAVE NOW BEEN HELD. THE ELEVENTH WILL TAKE PLACE ON 26/27 OF THIS MONTH. THESE TALKS HAVE GONE AHEAD IN A USEFUL AND CONSTRUCTIVE MANNER, NEVERTHELESS, GREAT PATIENCE IS GOING TO BE NEEDED BY BOTH SIDES SO THAT WE CAN REACH AN AGREEMENT WHICH IS SATISFACTORY TO ALL INVOLVED. OUR DETERMINATION TO PRESS AHEAD AND TO REACH THAT GOAL IS UNDIMINISHED. AND WE ARE GETTING ON WITH THE TALKS AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN. BUT CANNOT PREDICT PRECISELY HOW LONG THEY WILL TAKE.
/WE SHALL