MONDAY, AUGUST 1, 1988
POSITIVE INDICATORS FOR HK'S FUTURE
BOTH THE BRITISH AND CHINESE GOVERNMENTS TAKE VERY SERIOUSLY THEIR OBLIGATIONS TO OBSERVE THE TERMS OF THE JOINT DECLARATION, AND EVIDENCE SUGGESTS THAT THE CONCEPTS AND UNDERTAKINGS BEHIND THIS DOCUMENT WHICH PROVIDES HONG KONG'S ROUTE MAP TOWARDS THE FUTURE
ARE WORKING.
——
THE SECRETARY FOR GENERAL DUTIES, MR BARRIE WIGGHAM, SAID THIS TODAY (MONDAY) IN A LUNCHEON SPEECH OUTLINING THE POSITIVE INDICATORS FOR HONG KONG'S FUTURE TO THE ASSOCIATION OF CHAIRMEN OF THE TUNG WAH GROUP OF HOSPITALS.
HE POINTED OUT THAT TWO YEARS OF RIGH LEVEL EFFORT WERK INVESTED IN WHAT WERE SOMETIMES DIFFICULT NEGOTIATIONS TO HAMMER OUT THE JOINT DECLARATION.
IN BOTH THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP AND THE BASIC LAW, THERE WAS A WILL ON THE PART OF ALL THOSE CONCERNED TO MAKE THE CONCEPT OF "ONE COUNTRY, TWO SYSTEMS" WORK, HE SAID.
MR WIGGHAM NOTED THAT AUTONOMY WAS IN THE INTERRSTS OF ALL CONCERNED, ESPECIALLY THE PROPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA.
"CHINA SINCE THEN HAS MADR ENORMOUS CAPITAL AND INVESTMENTS IN HONG KONG, WHICH NOW PLAYS AN INTEGRAL ROLE IN OWN MODERNISATION POLICY.
OTHER
CHINA'S
SHOWS
"IN ADDITION, EVIDENCE OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS CLEARLY THAT THE JOINT DECLARATION IS WORKING; THAT MEASURES WHICH ARE VITAL TO HONG KONG'S FUTURE ARE BEING STEADILY IMPLEMENTED THROUGH THE JLO, HE SAID.
H
THE
MR WIGGHAM SAID НВ WAS IN PARTICULAR IMPRESSED BY SINCERITY OF BOTH GOVERNMENTS TOWARDS THEIR OBLIGATIONS; BY THE IMPORTANCE THEY ATTACHED TO MAINTAINING THE PROSPERITY AND STABILITY OF HONG KONG AND TO A SMOOTH TRANSITION IN 1997; AND RY THRIR BUSINESS-LIKE APPROACH TO ALL THEIR MEETINGS.
"A LOT OF WORK HAS TO BE DONE TO MAKE SURE THAT THR LEGAL, POLITICAL AND INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK OF IS ADJUSTED GRADUALLY, AND IN GOOD TIME, SO THAT THE MINIMUM AMOUNT OF CHANGE IS REQUIRED IN 1997," HE SAID.
THE ISSUES THAT HAD BEEN RESOLVED THROUGH THE JLG INCLUDE ARRANGEMENTS COVERING NATIONALITY AND TRAVEL DOCUMENTS; FOR HONG KONG TO NEGOTIATE ITS OWN AIR SERVICE AGREEMENTS; ΤΟ ESTABLISH ITS OWN SHIPPING REGISTER: AND IN THE FIELD OF EXTERNAL ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL RELATIONSHIP.
/MR WIGGRAM