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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 31, 1993
ବ : : THE SECRETARY OF STATE OF THE UNITED STATES SAID THAT SUPPORTED DEMOCRATIC REFORM IN HONG KONG. DOES IT HELP OR WORSEN PRESENT POSITION BECAUSE CHINA SAID THAT THEY WOULD NOT ALLOW THIRD COUNTRY TO INTERFERE WITH HONG KONG AFFAIRS ?
GOVERNOR
THEY
THE
ANY
LEE
IN
: I DON'T REMEMBER CHINA DENOUNCING SENIOR MINISTER KUAN YEW WHEN HE MADE A NUMBER OF OBSERVATIONS ABOUT THE POSITION HONG KONG. THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS THAT THE REST OF THE WORLD IS INTERESTED IN THE SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE JOINT DECLARATION. I'M NOT SURPRISED BY THAT. THEY RECOGNISE OTHER COUNTRIES : CANADA, UNITED STATES, AUSTRALIA, THE COUNTRIES OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY, COUNTRIES IN THE REGION. THEY RECOGNISE THAT THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE JOINT DECLARATION IS A MATTER PRINCIPALLY FOR BRITAIN AND CHINA, BUT BECAUSE HONG KONG IS SUCH A GREAT INTERNATIONAL CITY, SUCH A GREAT INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY, WITH A HUGE EXPATRIATE POPULATION AT THE GATEWAY TO CHINA, AT THE CROSSROADS OF ASIA AND THE REST OF THE WORLD. BECAUSE OF ALL THAT, OTHER PEOPLE ARE INTERESTED IN OUR SUCCESS AND THAT'S NOT VERY SURPRISING.
: (SUPPORT IN BRITAIN)
GOVERNOR
ANYBODY WHO READ THE EXCHANGES IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS AFTER THE FOREIGN SECRETARY'S STATEMENT THE OTHER DAY WILL, I THINK, HAVE RECOGNISED THAT THERE IS GREATER SUPPORT FOR THE POLICY WE ARE PURSUING IN HONG KONG THAN THERE HAS BEEN FOR A DECADE OR LONGER. I CAN'T REMEMBER A TIME WHEN THERE WAS SUCH UNEQUIVOCAL SUPPORT FROM ALL PARTIES AT WESTMINSTER FOR THE POLICY BEING PURSUED IN HONG KONG THAN THERE IS TODAY, LOOK AT WHAT SIR DAVID STEEL HAS SAID. LOOK AT WHAT JACK CUNNINGHAM, THE LABOUR PARTY FOREIGN SPOKESMAN HAS SAID. THOSE ARE THE FACT OF THE MATTER AND ANYBODY WHO TRIES TO RE-WRITE WHAT HAPPENING AT WESTMINSTER WILL HAVE A VERY BIG JOB TO DO.
IS
Q : WHAT IS THE POINT OF PURSUING YOUR REFORMS IF CHINA THREATENS TO DO, THEY JUST DISMANTLE ANY LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY THAT YOU MAY HAVE ASSEMBLED BY 1997 ?
GOVERNOR : I FIND IT DIFFICULT TO ANSWER HYPOTHETICAL QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT CHINA MIGHT DO BEFORE WE KNOW WHAT PROPOSALS WILL EMERGE IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. LIFE WOULD BE PERHAPS A LOT EASIER, A LOT EASIER FOR PEOPLE IN HONG KONG TO UNDERSTAND, IF INSTEAD OF JUST CRITICISING WHAT WE'VE PROPOSED FOR DISCUSSION HERR IN HONG KONG, CHINESE OFFICIALS WOULD PUT FORWARD THEIR OWN PROPOSALS. WHERE ARE THEIR PROPOSALS ? WE WAIT IN ANXIOUS ANTICIPATION TO DISCOVER WHAT THEY ARE.
Q
·
HOW WOULD YOU RESPOND TO THAT SAYING CHINA DOES NOT LIKE FOREIGN INVOLVEMENT?
NO.
)
IS
GOVERNOR : I REPEAT WHAT I SAID KARLIER THAT I RECALLED CHINA'S REACTION WHEN THE SENIOR MINISTER IN SINGAPORE MADE THE COMMENTS. I ALSO REPEAT WHAT I SAID THAT IT IS NOT SURPRISING THAT THE WORLD INTERESTED IN WHAT HAPPENS IN HONG KONG EVEN THOUGH THE REST OF THE WORLD RECOGNIŠKA THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR WHAT HAPPENS BELONGS TO BRITAIN AND CHINA.
IN HONG
KONG
/MR ALTEN