THURSDAY, DECEMBER 20, 1984
+ON NATIONALITY QUESTIONS FOR INSTANCE. BUT WE HAVE FOUND A WAY TO ALLOW ALL HONG KONG BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORIES CITIZENS BORN BEFORE 1 JULY 1997 TO CONTINUE TO TRAVEL ON BRITISH PASSPORTS AND TO ENJOY BRITISH CONSULAR PROTECTION IN THIRD COUNTRIES.
+ I KNOW YOU ARE ANXIOUS THAT OTHER COUNTRIES MAY NOT ACCEPT THE NEW BRITISH PASSPORTS AFTER 1997. THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT REGARDS IT AS PART OF ITS CONTINUING RESPONSIBILITY FOR HONG KONG TO EXPLAIN TO ALL THE COUNTRIES CONCERNED THAT THERE WILL BE NO JUSTIFICATION FOR IMPOSING NEW RESTRICTIONS ON THE FREEDOM OF ENTRY OF HONG KONG PEOPLE HOLDING THE NEW FORM OF PASSPORT.
+AND I BELIEVE WE SHALL RECEIVE THE NECESSARY CO-OPERATION: INDEED I AM VERY STRUCK BY THE WARM INTERNATIONAL RECEPTION WHICH HAS BEEN GIVEN TO THIS AGREEMENT.
+ANOTHER CONCERN IS THE BASIC LAW. I FULLY AGREE ABOUT ITS IMPORTANCE. THE TERMS OF THE AGREEMENT STIPULATE THAT THE VERY FULL AND DETAILED PROVISIONS IN THE JOINT DECLARATION AND ITS FIRST ANNEX WILL BE EMBODIED IN THE BASIC LAW.
+MY DISCUSSIONS IN PEKING HAVE CONFIRMED THAT THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT ARE FULLY AWARE OF THE IMPORTANCE OF THE BASIC LAW, AND OF THE CONCERN IN HONG KONG THAT PEOPLE HERE SHOULD BE CONSULTED ABOUT IT.
+PREMIER ZHAO ZIYANG TOLD ME THAT IN THE DRAFTING OF THE BASIC LAW, THE VIEWS OF HONG KONG PEOPLE WOULD BE SOLICITED ON A WIDE BASIS, AND THAT THE BASIC LAW WOULD BE DRAFTED AND PROMULGATED NOT LATER THAN 1990.
+UNTIL 1997 BRITAIN REMAINS FULLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF HONG KONG.
+WE FEEL, AS WE HAVE ALWAYS FELT, A DEEP COMMITMENT TO THE PEOPLE OF THE TERRITORY. AND NOW THAT THE AGREEMENT IS SIGNED, I PLEDGE HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT'S EARNEST EFFORTS IN THE YEARS TO 1997 TO ENSURE THAT HONG KONG CONTINUES TO HAVE A STABLE AND RESPONSIVE GOVERNMENT, ADMINISTERING THE TERRITORY IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE INTERESTS AND THE WISHES OF ITS PEOPLE.
+DURING THAT TIME YOU WILL WANT AND NEED MOVEMENT TOWARDS MORE REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT. HONG KONG PEOPLE MUST BE ABLE TO ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR RUNNING THE IR OWN AFFAIRS WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE AGREEMENT. AT THE SAME TIME WE MUST AVOID SUDDEN AND DRAMATIC CHANGES WHICH MIGHT HAVE A DISTURBING EFFECT. WE NEED TO BUILD, BUT TO BUILD CAREFULLY AND SECURELY.
+HONG KONG, MORE THAN MOST PLACES, LOOKS OUTWARDS FOR ITS LIVELIHOOD. IT FINDS READY MARKETS IN THE DEVELOPED WORLD. IT IS NATURAL THAT TRADERS AND INVESTORS SHOULD HAVE WATCHED CAREFULLY THE NEGOTIATIONS AND THE IR OUTCOME. THEY WANTED TO BE ASSURED THAT THE IR INVESTMENTS WOULD BE PROTECTED. THAT THE IR SOURCES OF SUPPLY WOULD REMAIN RELIABLE, AND THAT THE IR FREEDOM TO MOVE FUNDS FREELY IN AND OUT WOULD REMAIN UNTRAMMELLED.
/+ALL THOSE ..................