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MONDAY, OCTOBER 15, 1984
+FINALLY: THE CHINESE LEADERSHIP, PREOCCUPIED AS THEY ARE AS A MATTER OF NATIONAL POLICY WITH THE REUNIFICATION OF CHINA, CANNOT AFFORD TO PREJUDICE THE ULTIMATE ACHIEVEMENT OF THAT OBJECTIVE BY FAILING TO OBSERVE THE TERMS OF THE SINO-BRITISH AGREEMENT ON HONG KONG WITH ALL THE DAMAGING CONSEQUENCES FOR CHINA'S REPUTATION ABROAD OF A DECLINE IN HONG KONG'S STABILITY AND PROSPERITY.+
MISS DUNN SAID APART FROM THE INTENTIONS OF THE PRESENT LEADERSHIP, THERE WAS STILL THE QUESTION OF THE LIKELY ATTITUDE OF FUTURE GENERATIONS OF THE CHINESE LEADERSHIP.
WOULD THEY IMPLEMENT THE AGREEMENT, HOWEVER LEGALLY BIND ING IT MIGHT BE AND WHATEVER THE INTENTIONS OF THE PRESENT LEADERSHIP?
- COULD NO COUNTRY - NOT EVEN THE GREATEST DEMOCRACIES GUARANTEE THE POLITICAL PERSUASIONS OF FUTURE GOVERNMENTS.
INDEED, THE HISTORIAN AND POLITICAL SCIENTIST MIGHT ARGUE THAT THE RISKS HONG KONG FACED WERE LESS THAN MOST OTHER COUNTRIES, SHE SAID.
HONG KONG HAD NEVER HAD ANY GUARANTEE FOR ITS CONTINUING EXISTENCE, GIVEN THAT NO CHINESE GOVERNMENT SINCE THE OVERTHROW OF THE CHING DYNASTY HAD RECOGNISED THE TREATIES THAT PROVIDED FOR HONG KONG'S PRESENT STATUS.
YET NOT ONLY HAD HONG KONG SURVIVED AND PROSPERED, ITS TERRITORIAL AND POLITICAL INTEGRITY WAS NOT BREACHED DURING EVEN THE WORST EXCESSES OF CHINA'S POLITICAL UPHEAVALS.
+THERE ARE NO ABSOLUTE GUARANTEES IN LIFE,+ MISS DUNN CONTINUED. +THERE ARE ONLY WEAK OR STRONG INDICATIONS OF WHAT LIFE'S EXPECTATIONS MAY BE.
+ IN THIS CASE THE INDICATIONS CLEARLY ARE GOOD: CHINA'S MODERNISATIONS POLICIES ARE WORKING; REAL INCOMES IN CHINA ARE RISING PURELY IDEOLOGICAL PRECEPTS ARE BEING TEMPERED BY PRAGMATIC CONSIDERATIONS.+
THE CHINESE LEADERSHIP COLLECTIVELY, HAD EMBARKED ON A PATH WHICH WAS DESIGNED TO RAISE THE RISING STANDARD OF LIVING OF THE NATION ONCE AND FOR ALL.
TO STRAY FROM THIS PATH WOULD BE FRAUGHT WITH DANGERS FOR THE PRESENT LEADERSHIP AND SUCCEEDING GENERATIONS.
IT FOLLOWED THAT THEY WERE MOST UNLIKELY TO OVERLOOK THE CONTRIBUTION TO NATIONAL PROSPERITY OF A STABLE HONG KONG.
+AT THE END OF THE DAY. THE ACCEPTANCE OF THIS AGREEMENT IS AN ACT OF FAITH, BUT IT IS ONE WHICH HAS A SOUND BASIS, + MISS DUNN SAID.
/+THE BEST
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