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FRIDAY, AUGUST 14, 1992
MEETING WITH ZHOU KICKS OFF WIDE-RANGING DISCUSSIONS: GOVERNOR
THE GOVERNOR, THE RT HON CHRISTOPHER PATTEN, SAID TODAY (FRIDAY) THAT THE MEETING WITH THE DIRECTOR OF THE NEW CHINA NEWS AGENCY, MR ZHOU NAN, NEXT WEEK WILL BE THE FIRST OF MANY WIDE-RANGING DISCUSSIONS WITH HIM.
THE GOVERNOR WAS SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AFTER HIS VISIT TO NEW TOWNS AND HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS.
WHEN ASKED IF THE NEW AIRPORT WAS ON THE AGENDA OF THE MEETING, THE GOVERNOR SAID:
"IT WOULD BE SURPRISING IF THE AIRPORT WASN'T ONE OF THE SUBJECTS THAT WE DISCUSS. BUT WE WON'T BE NEGOTIATING BECAUSE NEGOTIATIONS ARE FOR THE AIRPORT COMMITTEE."
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HE SAID HE WOULD LOOK FORWARD TO MANY DISCUSSIONS WITH ME ZHOU MATTERS WHICH WERE OF COMMON INTEREST AND COMMON CONCERN TO CHINA AND TO HONG KONG,
WHEN ASKED то COMMENT ON THE US-HONG KONG ACT 1992, THE GOVERNOR SAID HE DIDN'T THINK IT WAS SURPRISING THAT A COUNTRY WHICH DID SO MUCH TRADE WITH HONG KONG BE INTERESTED IN HONG KONG'S FUTURE.
"I THINK THAT FREE TRADE IS GOOD FOR HONG KONG, GOOD FOR UNITED STATES AND GOOD FOR CHINA. I THINK IT IS GOOD FOR THE WHOLE WORLD.
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"WE ALL KNOW THAT THE WORLD EXPECTS ΤΟ SEE THE DECLARATION FULFILLED AND IMPLEMENTED IN EVERY PARTICULAR AND THAT OF COURSE WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN.
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ON WHETHER THE US-HONG KONG ACT WAS AN INTERFERENCE OF CHINA'S INTERNAL AFFAIRS, MR PATTEN SAID: "NO, I DON'T THINK IT INTERFERENCE."
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NOTING THAT UNITED STATES IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST INVESTORS IN HONG KONG, HE REITERATED THAT HE DIDN'T THINK IT WAS SURPRISING THAT THE UNITED STATES SHOULD BE INTERESTED IN HONG KONG.
"IT DOES A GREAT DEAL OF TRADE WITH HONG KONG AND I WANT TO SEE IT DOING MORE TRADE WITH HONG KONG BOTH BEFORE AND AFTER 1997.
"WE HAVE MADE OUR VIEWS ON THAT BILL PERFECTLY WELL-KNOWN, MORE ΤΟ THE POINT WE HAVE MADE CLEAR AGAIN, AND AGAIN, AND AGAIN THAT WE ARE IN FAVOUR OF UNCONDITIONAL RENEWAL OF MFN STATUS FOR CHINA.
"FREE TRADE, IN MY VIEW, HAS BEEN AND INVARIABLY ALWAYS WILL BE ON THE SIDE OF PROGRESS, HE SAID.
WHEN ASKED IF HIS INCREASING POPULARITY AMONG HONG KONG CITIZENS MIGHT RAISE PEOPLE'S EXPECTATION, MR PATTEN SAID HE MADE NO PROMISES THAT HE COULD DELIVER EVERY ASPIRATION OR EVERYTHING THAT EVERYONE WANTED.
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