TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 1991
KONG
BUT
2
THE SECOND PRINCIPLE IS EFFECTIVE GOVERNMENT BY THE HONG GOVERNMENT BETWEEN NOW AND 1997. THAT PRINCIPLE IS CLEARLY COMPATIBLE WITH SEEKING THE VIEWS OF CHINA ON IMPORTANT MATTERS WHICH STRADDLE 1997. IT'S COMPATIBLE WITH PAYING CLOSE ATTENTION TO THOSE VIEWS WHEN EXPRESSED BUT THE TASK OF TAKING DECISIONS DURING THIS PERIOD RESTS WITH THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT.
THOSE ARE THE PRINCIPLES. THE ARRANGEMENTS ON PRACTICAL MATTERS WITH CHINA NEED ΤΟ RESPECT THESE TWO PRINCIPLES WHICH UNDERLINE THE JOINT DECLARATION AND THE NEW AIRPORT IS PROBABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT SUCH MATTER AT THE MOMENT. IT'S AT THE CENTRE OF CHINESE CONCERNS BECAUSE IT'S A MAJOR PROJECT AND THEREFORE AN EXPENSIVE PROJECT, AND THIS LEADS STRAIGHT INTO THEIR WORRIES ABOUT THE FINANCIAL HEALTH OF HONG KONG WHEN IT BECOMES A S.A.R. HONG KONG NEEDS A NEW AIRPORT. KAI TAK IS BECOMING SATURATED AND THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT HAS BERN INTO THIS PROJECT IN GREAT DETAIL. IT IS CERTAINLY EXPENSIVE BUT THEY ARE SATISFIED THAT ITS EXPENSE WHICH HONG KONG CAN BEAR WITHOUT UNDERMINING ITS FINANCIAL HEALTH; AND SHOULD BEAR BECAUSE OF ITS IMPORTANCE ΤΟ HONG KONG'S FUTURE COMPETITIVENESS IN A REGION WHICH IS DEVELOPING SO RAPIDLY. THE PROJECT WOULD BE A TREMENDOUS BOOST TO HONG KONG'S ECONOMY AND AN IMPORTANT INVESTMENT IN ITS FUTURE. BUT IN DISCUSSING THESE MATTERS WITH THE CHINESE IT CANNOT BE A QUESTION OF THE AIRPORT AT ANY PRICE IN TERMS EITHER OF FINANCES OF OF CHINESE INVOLVEMENT.
NOW, THESE ARE THE QUESTIONS WHICH HAVE EBBED AND FLOWED, AS I SAID, IN THE TALKS IN PEKING. OBVIOUSLY, I HAD HOPED TO MAKE MORE PROGRESS THAN I CAN REPORT TO YOU THIS AFTERNOON, BUT AS YOU KNOW, MY EXPECTATIONS. WERK TEMPERED FROM THE OUTSET. I REMEMBER YOU ASKING THEM WHEN I ARRIVED AT THE AIRPORT A WEEK AGO, I WARNED YOU AGAINST EXPECTING A BREAKTHROUGH.
THROUGHOUT THE TALKS IT'S BEEN ENTIRELY CLEAR TO ME AND TO THE GOVERNOR THAT ON CONSTRUCTING THE AIRPORT, INDEED WITH OTHER MAJOR INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS, 1T IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT RETAIN THE AUTHORITY AND THE CAPABILITY TO TAKE DECISIONS, BECAUSE ONLY IN THAT WAY CAN PROJECTS LIKE THE AIRPORT BE CARRIED OUT EFFECTIVELY, EFFICIENTLY, ECONOMICALLY, AND THERE IS NO QUESTION OF DEPARTING FROM THESE CRUCIAL POINTS.
SO AT THE MOMENT WE FACE OBSTACLES BUT THE TEAM OF OFFICIALS WILL REMAIN FOR A FEW DAYS IN PEKING AND WE SHALL CONTINUE, WE ARE CONTINUING, TO PRESS FOR MOVEMENT. SO WE HAVE CHOSEN THE ROAD, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE JOINT DECLARATION, OF WELCOMING CO-OPERATION AND CONSULTATION WITH CHINA WHILE MAINTAINING THE EFFECTIVE AUTHORITY THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT BETWEEN NOW AND 1997.
IN PRACTICE, THIS WILL FROM TIME TO TIME PROVE A STONY AND UPHILL ROAD BUT IN FACT IT IS THE ONLY ROAD WHICH CAN LEAD HONG TO THE DESTINATION OF TWO SYSTEMS IN ONE COUNTRY.
CONTRARY,
OF
AN
KONG
I NOTE THE RESILIENCE WHICH DESPITE MANY PROPHESIES TO THE HONG KONG HAS SHOWN IN RECOVERING FROM THE SHOCK OF 1989, AND YOU'LL KNOW HOW BRITAIN CONTRIBUTED TO THAT RECOVERY. I AM OPTIMISTIC IN MY OWN MIND THAT OVER TIME WE SHALL TOGETHER FIND THE RIGHT PATH THROUGH PRESENT, OR INDEED THROUGH ANY FUTURE OBSTACLES. THAT WAS WHAT I WANTED TO SAY BY WAY OF INTRODUCTION AND NOW I WILL TRY TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS.
/MARK AUSTIN