THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22, 1992
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HE EMPHASISED THAT THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT AND THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT HAD NO DOUBT OF THE BENEFITS OF GREATER DEMOCRACY IN HONG KONG, AND THE COMMUNITY TOO WANTED MORE DEMOCRACY.
HE SAID THEY SHARED THE VIEW ADOPTED IN MOST OF THE WORLD THAT IT WAS THE BEST FOUNDATION FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE AND INDIVIDUAL LIBERTY, AND IT WAS ALSO ESSENTIAL TO PROSPERITY.
"WE ALL KNOW THAT THE RULE OF LAW SUPPORTED BY DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTIONS IS AS ESSENTIAL TO INVESTORS AS TO THE MAN IN THE STREET.
PRESSING CHINA TO MR WIGGHAM
"FOR ALL THESE REASONS, WE ARE CURRENTLY AGREE TO MORE DIRECTLY ELECTED SEATS IN THE LEGISLATURE, SAID.
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HOWEVER, HE SAID THE COMMUNITY ALSO UNDERSTOOD THAT DEVELOPMENT WAS CONSTRAINED BY THE AGREEMENTS REACHED CHINA AND BY THE PUBLIC'S DESIRE FOR A SMOOTH TRANSITION "THE 1997 WATERSHED".
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PEOPLE, INCLUDING MANY OUTSIDE HONG KONG, WISH US TO BE MORE HEROIC AND JETTISON THE AGREEMENTS WITH CHINA WHICH PROTECT HONG KONG'S FUTURE.
"THOSE WHO LIVE IN HONG KONG DEMAND A MORE SOPHISTICATED APPROACH IN WHICH WE ACT IN WAYS CONSISTENT WITH THE BASIC LAW BUT NEVERTHELESS MAKE THE MOST OF THE OPPORTUNITIES IT OFFERS, HE SAID.
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ON THE NEXT ELECTIONS IN 1995, MR WIGGHAM SAID THE INITIATIVES PROPOSED BY THE GOVERNOR WOULD BE DISCUSSED WITH CHINA AND WITH THE LEGISLATURE, WHICH MUST ULTIMATELY DECIDE ON WHETHER TO ACCEPT THEM.
"IF THE PROPOSALS ARE ACCEPTED, HONG KONG WILL HAVE A POLITICAL SYSTEM IN WHICH THE LEGISLATURE AND LOCAL AUTHORITIES BECOME TRULY REPRESENTATIVE, HE SAID.
LOOKING BEYOND 1997, MR WIGGHAM SAID ONE COULD SEE THE PRINCIPLE OF "ONE CHINA, TWO SYSTEMS" WORKING IN PRACTICE WITH SUCCESS, STABILITY AND PROSPERITY FOR HONG KONG AND CHINA.
IN THAT FUTURE HONG KONG AND VANCOUVER, WHICH WERE LOCATED ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE PACIFIC, WOULD SHARE SPECIAL TIES. THEY WOULD BOTH BENEFIT FROM AND CONTRIBUTE TO THE PACIFIC'S ECONOMIC REVOLUTION.
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"WE IN HONG KONG ARE NOT YET AS PROSPEROUS AS YOU, BUT BY 1997 OUR PER CAPITA GDP WILL BE AS HIGH AS THAT OF ITALY OR HOLLAND TODAY, HE SAID.
EARLIER IN HIS SPEECH, MR WIGGHAM SET OUT THE MAIN ELEMENTS OF THE GOVERNOR'S POLICY ADDRESS AND EXPLAINED WHY HONG KONG HAD SUCH BRIGHT FUTURE DESPITE THE INEVITABLE UNCERTAINTIES CREATED BY THE CHANGE IN SOVEREIGNTY IN 1997.
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