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The motion invites the outside world to believe that the Administration of Hong Kong has reneged on its obligations, thereby forfeiting the confidence of this Council.
Consequently, the motion encourages the international community, our trading and investment partners, to question Hong Kong's future, to doubt whether the rule of law will survive.
I ask all Honourable Members to consider carefully the serious consequences for Hong Kong if the motion succeeds. And I must note that both from the speech of the Honourable Member moving the motion in the first place and the question raised by another Honourable Member subsequently raised a serious doubt as to whether members appreciate that the reference to the damage of rule of law cannot be narrowly confined to the Court of Final Appeal. It must be taken in its full sense, that is in the proper context which I have attempted to outline in this speech so far. If our legislature declares that it has no faith in the Administration's commitment to the rule of law, that this Council has lost confidence in Hong Kong's future,
can we expect the world's traders to continue to regard Hong Kong as the premier business location in the Asia region?
can we expect international investors to be comfortable about holding Hong Kong assets?
can we expect multinational corporations to maintain their regional headquarters here?
And if business is adversely affected, I must point out it is the ordinary men and women of Hong Kong who will suffer.
I want now to take up the reference in the main motion to the Governor. Throughout the entire process of reform, the Administration's efforts have been directed by the Governor. It is under his leadership that the civil service has worked to introduce and to implement the extensive programmes which I have described. In addition, the Governor has made a very personal contribution to the authority of this Council.
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He was the first Governor in our history to step down from the Presidency of this legislature and allow Honourable Members to select their own President.
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