+
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 16, 1984
HK PEOPLE'S ROLE VITAL SELINA CHOW
*****
THE ANSWER TO THE QUESTION OF WHETHER THE AGREEMENT WILL BE FAITHFULLY IMPLEMENTED WAS TO BE FOUND NOT ONLY WITH THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT BUT ALSO WITH THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG, THE HON MRS SELINA CHOW SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (TUESDAY).
SHE WAS SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF THE MOTION ENDORSING THE
DRAFT AGREEMENT.
+CHINA HAS, IN MY VIEW, SHOWN ITS SINCERITY OF INTENTION BY TAKING INTO ACCOUNT ALL THE VIEWS THAT WE, THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG, HAVE EXPRESSED REGARDING THE AGREEMENT, IN ORDER THAT WE MAY HAVE CONFIDENCE IN ACCEPTING AND IMPLEMENTING IT.
+ONLY TIME WILL TELL WHETHER CHINA CAN MAINTAIN ITS PRESENT STABILITY AND CARRY ON ITS PRESENT ECONOMIC POLICIES.
+ONLY TIME WILL TELL WHETHER THE CHINESE LEADERSHIP CAN SUCCESSFULLY EXERCISE RESTRAINT OVER THEIR OWN OFFICIALS FROM INTERFERING WITH HONG KONG, AND LET ME SAY THAT IT IS A FACT THAT MANY HERE DO NOT BELIEVE CHINA COULD REFRAIN FROM INTERFERING, AND HENCE THEY DO NOT BELIEVE THE HONG KONG SAR WILL BE TRULY AUTONOMOUS,+ SHE SAID.
SHE POINTED OUT THERE WERE ALSO GRAVE DOUBTS AS TO HOW MUCH CHINA REALLY UNDERSTOOD THE SPIRIT OF FREE ENTERPRISE AS WE HAD IT IN HONG KONG,
+CONFIDENCE CAN BE GAINED IF CHINA IS TO PRACTISE, AND IS SEEN TO PRACTISE, POSITIVE NON-INTERVENTION IN HONG KONG, SHE SAID.
THIS COULD ONLY BE POSSIBLE, SHE SAID, IF AN UNDERSTANDING, TRUST AND MUTUAL RESPECT WERE CULTIVATED ON BOTH SIDES.
+BUT THE CRUX OF THE MATTER IS, WITHOUT THE WILL AND EFFORT OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG, WE ARE DOOMED FROM THE START.
+ IF WE DO NOT DO OUR SHARE IN MAINTAINING OUR OWN STABILITY AND PROSPERITY WHICH WE HAVE WORKED SO HARD TO ESTABLISH, WE WOULD LOSE OUR ENTIRE VALUE OF EXISTENCE, TO OURSELVES AND TO CHINA,+ SHE SAID.
+CONVERSELY, IF WE CONTINUE TO PERFORM, IT WOULD NOT BE IN THE INTEREST OF ANYONE TO DISTURB OR DISRUPT OUR STATUS QUO.
+SO THE ANSWER TO THE PROBLEM IS TO BE FOUND HERE, AND WE SHOULD STOP LOOKING TO OTHERS FOR A KEY TO THE SOLUTION THAT WE FIRMLY HOLD IN OUR HANDS, SHE ADDED.
'SHE BELIEVED ..................