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Transcript of Chief Secretary's media session
Following is the transcript of the media session by the Chief Secretary, Mrs Anson Chan, after visiting the Fire Service Department today (Thursday):
CS: Good afternoon everyone. I have just spent the afternoon with Mr Lam, Director of Fire Services, seeing for myself the services that the Fire Services Department provide and the resources available at their disposal. I was very impressed. I haven't realised that the Fire Services Department provides such comprehensive services, both on fire-fighting and on rescuing people and providing ambulance service. I must say that after this visit I am much more confident when we have a fire or when I require an ambulance service.
We have received quite a number of press questions regarding the recent incursion into Hong Kong waters on March 18. So I want to take the opportunity this afternoon to put the matter in perspective and to make a number of clarifications. As you know this incursion took place on March 18. It was clearly an incursion into Hong Kong waters. This fact was admitted both by those responsible on board the vessel and by the Zhuhai Authorities. Our concern is principally because it took place in Hong Kong waters, it involved the detention and forcible removal of Hong Kong vessels and the crewmen on board. We have as you know registered our serious concern with the Chinese authorities through the NCNA. The Political Adviser has again registered our concern with the NCNA almost on a daily basis and we are requesting the immediate return of both the vessels and the crewmen on board.
You also know that the Deputy Commissioner of Police has led a delegation and is currently having talks with those responsible in the Guangdong Provincial Security Bureau, again putting forward our very serious concern and requesting the immediate return of the vessels and the crewmen on board. I might also add that Mr Goodlad, the Minister responsible for Hong Kong affairs, will be seeing the Chinese Ambassador in UK to raise this incident and to put across our concern. At the same time the British Embassy in Beijing will also be raising this incident with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. We very much hope that the Chinese will take immediate action to return the vessels and the crewmen and will give an undertaking that they will do everything they possibly can to prevent such incursions. We have of course been very happy to know that in the recent years, the number of such incidents, such incursions have in fact decreased. We had I think about 15 cases in 1993. This had gone down to about seven in 1994 and so far this year, we have had only one incident. We want to make sure that this decreasing trend continues.
Question: Does this mean that the Chinese side has not been co-operative?