WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 19, 1984
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AN HISTORIC OCCASION: PRIME MINISTER
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FOLLOW ING IS THE TEXT OF A SPEECH BY THE PRIME MINISTER, MRS MARGARET THATCHER, AT THE CEREMONY OF THE SIGNING OF THE SINO-BRITISH JOINT DECLARATION ON THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG WHICH TOOK PLACE IN PEKING TODAY (DECEMBER 19):
+YOUR EXCELLENCY CHAIRMAN DENG XIAOPING, YOUR EXCELLENCY PRESIDENT LI XIANNIAN, YOUR EXCELLENCY PREMIER ZHAO ZIYANG, YOUR EXCELLENCIES, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
+THIS IS AN HISTORIC OCCASION, AND I AM PARTICULARLY PLEASED TO SEE THAT CHAIRMAN DENG XIAOPING IS ABLE TO BE PRESENT. THE JOINT DECLARATION ON THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG, WHICH WE HAVE JUST SIGNED ON BEHALF OF OUR TWO GOVERNMENTS, IS A LANDMARK IN THE LIFE OF THE TERRITORY: IN THE COURSE OF ANGLO-CHINESE RELATIONS: AND IN THE HISTORY OF INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMACY. THE AGREEMENT ESTABLISHES A FIRM BASIS FOR CONFIDENCE IN HONG KONG UP TO 1997 AND BEYOND, AND FOR ITS CONTINUED STABILITY, PROSPERITY AND GROWTH.
+ I REMEMBER WITH PLEASURE MY LAST VISIT TO CHINA IN SEPTEMBER 1982 AND MY DISCUSSIONS WITH CHINESE LEADERS. AT MY MEETING WITH CHAIRMAN DENG XIAOPING ON THAT OCCASION WE AGREED TO OPEN TALKS ON THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG. OUR COMMON AIM WAS TO MAINTAIN THE TERRITORY'S STABILITY AND PROSPERITY. IT IS IN A SPIRIT OF PRIDE AND OF OPTIMISM ABOUT THE FUTURE THAT I NOW RETURN TO SIGN THE AGREEMENT WHICH IS THE RESULT OF THESE TALKS.
+ I KNOW YOU WILL AGREE THAT THE NEGOTIATIONS WERE NOT ALWAYS EASY. AT CERTAIN POINTS THERE WERE DIFFICULT DECISIONS TO BE MADE ON BOTH SIDES. THERE WERE MOMENTS OF TENSION. TO OVERCOME THESE DIFFICULTIES WE NEEDED TO DRAW ON A SHARED FUND OF GOODWILL: ON FRIENDSHIP: AND ON A COMMON COMMITMENT TO HONG KONG'S FUTURE. THIS WAS WHAT MADE SUCCESS POSSIBLE. AND I SHOULD LIKE TO PAY TRIBUTE TO THE DEDICATION OF THE TWO NEGOTIATING TEAMS AND ALL THE IR SUPPORTING STAFF, UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF SIR GEOFFREY HOWE AND STATE COUNCILLOR AND FOREIGN MINISTER WU XUEQIAN. IS THANKS TO THE IMAGINATION AND RESOURCE WHICH THEY SHOWED THAT WE CAN SIGN THE AGREEMENT TODAY.
IT
+THE AGREEMENT FULLY MEETS THE POLITICAL REQUIREMENTS OF BRITAIN AND CHINA, AS WELL AS THE INTERESTS OF THE HONG KONG PEOPLE. IT PROVIDES THE FRAMEWORK IN WHICH, AS A SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA, HONG KONG WILL MAINTAIN ITS ECONOMIC SYSTEM AND WAY OF LIFE FOR 50 YEARS AFTER THE FIRST OF JULY 1997. IT GIVES HONG KONG A HIGH DEGREE OF AUTONOMY: HONG KONG PEOPLE WILL ADMINISTER HONG KONG AND THE SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION WILL PASS ITS OWN LEGISLATION. IT ALLOWS HONG KONG TO CONTINUE TO DECIDE ITS OWN ECONOMIC, FINANCIAL AND TRADE POLICIES AND TO PARTICIPATE AS
IT APPROPRIATE IN INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS AND AGREEMENTS. PRESERVES HONG KONG'S FAMILIAR LEGAL SYSTEM AND THE RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS ENJOYED THERE. IN SHORT IT PROVIDES THE ASSURANCES FOR THE FUTURE WHICH HONG KONG NEEDS, IN ORDER TO CONTINUE TO PLAY ITS UNIQUE ROLE IN THE WORLD AS A TRADING AND FINANCIAL CENTRE.
/+THESE QUALITIES