M
THURSDAY, MAY 13, 1993
IT'S
AGREED THE QUESTION TIME THIS
PRESIDENT:
AFTERNOON WILL BE DEVOTED то THE GOVERNOR'S VISIT TO THE UNITED STATES AND TRADE MATTERS. MEMBER MAY NOW PUT QUESTIONS TO THE GOVERNOR. A MEMBER MAY ASK A SUPPLEMENTARY QUESTION FOR THE PURPOSE OF ELUCIDATION, BUT THE SUPPLEMENTARY SHOULD BE A SHORT, SINGLE QUESTION. SHOW OF HANDS
PLEASE.
DR HUANG CHEN-YA: GOVERNOR, THERE IS WIDESPREAD AMERICAN CONCERN ABOUT HUMAN RIGHTS, ARMS PROLIFERATION AND TRADE ACCESS. WOULD YOU OR THE BRITISH EMBASSY BE INFORMING THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT OF THIS OBSERVATION 80 THAT THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT TAKES APPROPRIATE INITIATIVES TO DEAL WITH THE CONDITIONS THAT MIGHT BE APPLIED SO THAT CHINA WILL IN FACT MAINTAIN ITS MEN STATUS.
GOVERNOR: I DOUBT WHETHER THERE IS ANY NEED FOR EITHER THE BRITISH EMBASSY OR ME TO CONVEY. THOSE THOUGHTS TO THE GOVERNMENT OF SINCE MR LORD HAS PRESUMABLY BEEN CONVEYING THOSE CONCERNS THIS WEEK. I AM SURE THAT THEY ARE PRETTY WELL KNOWN BOTH CHINESE EMBASSY IN WASHINGTON AND TO THE CHINESE MINISTRY OF AFFAIRS AND TO OTHER SENIOR CHINESE OFFICIALS.
THE PRC HIMSELF TO THE FOREIGN
THAT
I OBVIOUSLY ARGUED WHEN I WAS IN WASHINGTON AND NEW YORK IF THERE WERE PARTICULAR CONCERNS ON THE PART OF THE ADMINISTRATION AND ON THE PART OF THEIR CONGRESSIONAL LEADERS ON THOSE MATTERS, THEY SHOULD BE PURSUED IN WAYS THAT WERE APPROPRIATE RATHER THAN THROUGH CREATING TRADE PROBLEMS AND DIFFICULTIES BETWEEN CHINA AND THE UNITED STATES. THERE ARE PARTICULAR CHANNELS IN MY JUDGEMENT IN WHICH IF THE UNITED STATES IS CONCERNED ABOUT THOSE MATTERS, THEY CAN PURSUE THEM AS OTHER COUNTRIES HAVE DONE ON APPROPRIATE OCCASIONS. THAT WAS A POINT THAT I PUT LAST WEEK AND IT'S A POINT THAT I WILL CONTINUE ΤΟ PUT.
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1
MR LAU WONG-FAT (THROUGH INTERPRETER): GOVERNOR, SHOULD THERE BE A TRADE WAR BETWEEN CHINA AND THE U. S HONG KONG'S ECONOMY WILL DEFINITELY BE AFFECTED. SO MY QUESTION IS: AT THIS POINT IN TIME HAVE WE GOT CONTINGENT MEASURES IN ORDER TO HELP HONG KONG PEOPLE OVERCOME THE CRISIS THAT MIGHT ARISE. 1 80, COULD THIS COUNCIL BE INFORMED OF THE MEASURES. IF NOT, COULD EXPLANATION BE GIVEN WHY THE GOVERNMENT · IS NOT MAKING SUCH PREPARATION.
GOVERNOR: I'VE GOT NO DOUBT AT ALL THAT WERE THERE TO BE NO RENEWAL OF MFN OR WERE MFN RENEWAL TO BE HEAVILY CONDITIONED SO AS TO MAKE A REAL IMPACT ON TRADE BETWEEN CHINA AND THE UNITED STATES, THERE WOULD BE AN IMPACT ON THE HONG KONG ECONOMY. IT SEEMS TO NE IMPOSSIBLE TO DESIGN, FOR INSTANCE, HEAVY CONDITIONS ON MPN AND WITHOUT RUNNING THAT SEVERE RISK. I AM ALSO, I HAVE TO SAY, A LITTLE SCEPTICAL AROUT PRECISE ECONOMIC MODELLING OF WHAT THOSE EFFECTS WOULD BE AND I DON'T MEAN TO BE DISRESPECTFUL TO ECONOMISTS IN SAYING THAT. BUT HONG KONG HAS, OVER THE YEARS AND DECADES, SHOWN ITSELF MUCH MORE FLEXIBLE IN ADJUSTING TO CHANGING ECONOMIC CIRCUMSTANCES THAN MOST OTHER ECONOMIES AND WE'VE DONE THAT IN A NUMBER OF WAYS OVER THE YEARS.
/I DON'T