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WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 1987
+THERE IS AN INCREASINGLY ELABORATE NETWORK OF SOCIAL WELFARE BENEFITS, AND LEGISLATION TO PROTECT WORKERS EXTENDS INTO ALMOST EVERY AREA OF EMPLOYMENT.+
SIR DAVID ATTRIBUTED HONG KONG'S SUCCESS TO THE GOVERNMENT POLICIES WHICH PROVIDED THE ENVIRONMENT AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE TO ALLOW PEOPLE THE OPPORTUNITY TO THRIVE AND TO PROSPER.
+HONG KONG HAS ITS LAWS AND ITS REGULATORY MECHANISMS BUT WITHIN THOSE LIMITS, DECISIONS ARE LEFT TO THE MARKET PLACE AND THE PRESSURES OF COMPETING RESOURCES.
+THIS IS AN IMPORTANT AND DISTINCTIVE FEATURE OF HONG KONG, HE SAID.
TURNING TO POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT, SIR DAVID SAID THAT ONE OF THE MOST ABSORBING AND IMPORTANT HÄTTERS FACING HONG KONG WAS TO DECIDE ON THE STRUCTURE OF THE FUTURE GOVERNMENT AND ITS BUREAUCRATIC MACHINERY.
+THERE IS A GREAT AND HEALTHY DEBATE GOING ON IN HONG KONG AT THE PRESENT TIME ABOUT THIS AND, FROM THIS DEBATE, WITHIN THE NEXT TWO TO THREE YEARS FIRM PRINCIPLES WILL HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED ON THE PROCESSES WHICH WILL ENABLE THE GOVERNMENT OF THE SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION TO BE FORMED, HE SAID.
EARLIER IN HIS SPEECH, SIR DAVID SAID THAT BOTH THE BRITISH AND CHINESE GOVERNMENTS HAD JOINTLY COMMITTED THEMSELVES TO IMPLEMENT THEIR DECLARATION IN ALL ITS SUPPORTIVE DETAIL.
HE CITED EXAMPLES OF PRACTICAL PROGRESS ALREADY ACHIEVED SINCE THE JOINT DECLARATION WAS SIGNED TWO YEARS AGO, WHICH INCLUDED, AMONG OTHER THINGS, HONG KONG'S PARTICIPATION IN INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS AS A SEPARATE ENTITY.
+FULL AGREEMENT HAS ALSO ALREADY BEEN REACHED ON THE RANGE OF TRAVEL DOCUMENTS TO BE USED BY HONG KONG'S RESIDENTS BEFORE AND AFTER 1997.+
AGREEMENT HAD ALSO BEEN REACHED ON THE LEGISLATION REQUIRED TO EXTEND TO 2047 LAND AND PROPERTY RIGHTS WHICH EXPIRED IN 1997, ON THE ARRANGEMENTS FOR SHARING THE INCOME FROM THE SALE OF LAND BETWEEN THE PRESENT HONG KONG QOVERNMENT AND POST 1997 GOVERNMENT, HE SAID.
+BOTH THE CHINESE AND BRITISH GOVERNMENTS HAVE DEMONSTRATES THEIR DETERMINATION TO MAKE THE JOINT DECLARATION WORK.
+GOODWILL AND UNDERSTANDING ON THE PART OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY AS WELL WILL BE NECESSARY IN SMOOTHING THE WAY AHEAD, HE ADDED.
AND
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