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Question: There's been a report today that Chinese officials prefer to deal with Anson Chan rather than you...
Governor: I saw that report. There was a report attributed to a Chinese official. I thought it was slightly curious because we used to hear remarks from the New China News Agency about three-legged stools. But this remark seems to suggest that now the NCNA were very keen to deal with local officials. But let me put the point in context. I appointed Anson Chan as Chief Secretary because I believe strongly that she was the best person for the job. I've seen her working at close hand and I think she's an outstanding civil servant. She's the senior member of my team. We work very closely indeed. We see eye to eye on the issues on Hong Kong's agenda and when earlier in the year, it seemed that Director Lu and other Chinese officials would still have some difficulties in meeting the Governor of Hong Kong for reasons which I think are curious but nevertheless which affect their political behaviour, I suggested that if they have difficulties meeting the Governor of Hong Kong then they should meet the Chief Secretary. So I'm delighted that they do that and I hope that she has further successful visits. I hope that they come to Hong Kong and meet the Chief Secretary and our officials, our senior officials and I can assure you that as Governor of Hong Kong between now and the June 30, 1997, that will have my full support and of course Anson Chan and I will continue to see eye to eye on the sort of issues that she may be discussing with senior Chinese officials.
Question: Why was there such secrecies surrounding it?
Governor: I don't think there was so much secrecies around the visit. After all, as soon as Anson Chan got back from Peking she told you all and the community that's she been and what had happened and what had been discussed. But as you know when earlier in the year, it wasn't possible for a variety of reasons which we much regretted for Director Lu and Anson to meet. There was a certain amount of controversy. We thought in the light of that in order to break the ice and to get things moving in a sensible direction, perhaps it would help on the first outing as it were if it was done confidentially. But the usual Hong Kong vocabulary about "secret deals" is not appropriate in this case nor in most others.
Question: (inaudible)
Governor: I don't see my role reducing. But those of you who have been around for longer will know that for about 18 months I've said this increasingly as we got closer to 1997 I'll be wanting to take more of a back seat partly because I'll be bringing on my senior officials and partly because I wouldn't be here after 1997 but I hope that most of them would be and that it was appropriate to delegate to them as much as possible while of course having to take responsibility for what's done in the name of the Government of Hong Kong and occasionally having to act perhaps as a buffer or to attract some of the flak in order that others can get on with the job of running Hong Kong as successfully as possible. But I think those of you who have been here for sometime will concede that it's a point that I've been making for well over a year.