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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 7, 1993
I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE ONE OTHER POINT ABOUT LINKS. FIRST OF ALL, I REGARD IT AS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT ΤΟ MOVE TOWARDS TWENTY-FOUR-HOUR OPENING ON THE BORDER AS SOON AS WE CAN, AND WE HAVE MADE PROPOSALS IN RELATION TO LOK MA CHAU WHICH I HOPE WILL FIND FAVOUR WITH CHINESE OFFICIALS.
SECONDLY, I FEEL VERY STRONGLY, MYSELF, THAT THE DEVELOPMENT OF HONG KONG'S RAILWAY INFRASTRUCTURE IS GOING TO PLAY AN EXTREMELY IMPORTANT PART IN THE FUTURE, NOT ONLY OF HONG KONG BUT THE FUTURE OF SOUTHERN CHINA. AND THE SOONER WE CAN GET INTO DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENT OF A PROPER DEVELOPED RAILWAY NETWORK, THE BETTER. I THINK A DEDICATED FREIGHT LINE IS GOING TO BE ONE OF THE IMPORTANT CONSEQUENCES OF DEVELOPMENTS OF OUR CONTAINER PORT, AND I THINK WILL HELP, AMONG OTHER MATTERS, TO MOVE SOME FREIGHT WHICH IS AT PRESENT ON OUR ROADS, ON TO RAIL.
MR NGAI SHIU-KIT (THROUGH INTERPRETER): MR GOVERNOR, IN YOUR POLICY ADDRESS PARAGRAPH 183 YOU SAID, AND I QUOTE, "IF WE ARE NOT PREPARED TO STAND UP FOR HONG KONG'S WAY OF LIFE TODAY, WHAT CHANCE OF DOING SO TOMORROW" UNQUOTE. MR GOVERNOR, WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THESE REMARKS? ARE YOU CASTING DOUBT ON THE CHINESE SIDE'S SINCERITY IN IMPLEMENTING THE JOINT DECLARATION? ARE YOU IMPLYING THE CHINESE SIDE DOES NOT HAVE THE SINCERITY TO GUARANTEE THAT OUR SPECIAL WAY OF LIFE WILL REMAIN UNCHANGED FOR 50 YEARS?
THE GOVERNOR: WELL, LET'S SAY IT'S PART OF MY RESPONSIBILITY TO DO ALL I CAN AS GOVERNOR, AS HEAD OF THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT BEFORE 1997 TO ENSURE THAT THE FIRMEST POSSIBLE FOUNDATIONS ARE LAID FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE JOINT DECLARATION AFTER 1997. I DON'T CAST
DOUBT ON CHINESE INTENTIONS. SOMETIMES THE LANGUAGE OF ADVISORS ΤΟ CHINA CASTS DOUBTS ON THOSE INTENTIONS. I THINK SOME OF THE THINGS WHICH HAVE BEEN SAID BY MEMBERS OF THE SO-CALLED PWC (PRELIMINARY WORKING COMMITTEE FOR SAR PREPARATORY COMMITTEE) HAVE BEEN QUITE ASTONISHING AND I HOPE THEY DON'T REPRESENT THE THINKING OF MAINSTREAM CHINESE OFFICIALS. I THINK THAT IT'S ALSO THE CASE THAT SINCE AT THE HEART OF THE JOINT DECLARATION IS THE COMMITMENT TO A LEGISLATURE FORMED BY ELECTIONS AND AN EXECUTIVE ACCOUNTABLE то THE LEGISLATURE, SOME OF THE DEBATES WE'VE HAD ABOUT OUR DETERMINATION ENSURE THAT THOSE ELECTIONS ARE FAIR DOES RAISE QUESTIONS ABOUT COMPREHENSION OF SOME PEOPLE ABOUT WHAT IT IS THAT HONG KONG'S WAY LIFE COMPRISES. SO I THINK THAT IT IS IMPORTANT FOR HONG KONG'S FUTURE TO STAND UP FOR HONG KONG'S WAY OF LIFE TODAY. I'VE LONG FELT THAT AND I WOULD BE SURPRISED IF MANY MEMBERS OF THIS COUNCIL DIDN'T FEEL IT AS WELL.
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THE OF
/MRS PEGGY LAM