- 4 -

Governor: She hasn't got a specific mission. She was invited to visit China by a distinguished Chinese institute. I am sure that during the course of the visit and during the course of the interviews that she has with senior Chinese leaders, she will put forward, among other things, the importance of speeding up the work of the JLG. Chinese leaders themselves very often speak about the importance of speeding up the work of the JLG. I don't think there is anybody really, apart from the editor of Wen Wei Po in Hong Kong, who thinks that the Hong Kong Government is responsible for as not making greater progress at a greater speed in the JLG. You all know what the situation is. We're committed to marking as rapid progress as possible. And I hope that we can do that constructively with Chinese officials. Nobody gains from the deadlocks, nobody gains from the prolong arguments. And everybody is a loser. We occasionally get very specific information about what's going to happen on the Chinese side. Director Lu Ping in the United States last week said that we'll get agreement on the FSAs, for the airport and the airport railways within days, within days, not my phrase, not me making pledges or promises. So I hope that is translated into action and into agreement within days.

Questions: That means so far no good news to put Mr Lu Ping's words into practice?

Governor: Well, I suppose it's good news that we have a promise that an agreement is going to be within days. But I think our negotiators look forward to seeing that on paper.

Question: Do you think that the Chinese side is using delaying tactics in the Court of Final Appeal issue?

Governor: I think it's for others to judge the intentions of the Chinese side. I don't think it's helpful for me to speculate about motive. We all know what the facts are. We all know that we gave the Chinese side a copy of our Bill last May. We all know that there were a few technical amendments which we gave them in January. What nobody has still told me is in what way the Bill that we have given the Chinese side the parts from the precise letter of the agreement reached in the JLG in 1991. You would think that if there was anywhere in which that Bill which Chinese officials have had for nearly 10 months. You would think that if there was any way in which that draft Bill differed from the JLG agreement Chinese officials would have told us by now. But there has been silence on that. So we must presume that the Bill is as we've said in line with the JLG agreement and if it is in line with the JLG agreement I very much hope we'll soon have the agreement of the Chinese side and we can go ahead in the spirit of co-operation and enthusiasm about the rule of law there in Hong Kong. After all, again Chinese officials has been saying in the United States and elsewhere that China is committed to the rule of law and committed to the 1991 agreement under which it was agreed that the Court of Final Appeal should be set up before 1997.

Share This Page