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Question: Just for the record, Governor, could you restate and clarify exactly what your position is please?
Governor: My position is exactly the same as the position of the Hong Kong Government has been since 1989 which was set out very clearly in the Legislative Council last autumn.
End/Monday, September 25, 1995
Hong Kong's future is optimistic: Governor
It is hugely in China's interest that Hong Kong should continue to succeed, the Governor, the Rt Hon Christopher Patten, said today (Monday).
Speaking at the Peat Marwick Conference and stressing that he was optimistic about Hong Kong's future, Mr Patten pointed out that China was now the biggest investor in the territory, with investments probably equal to around US$20 billion. "So China wants Hong Kong to succeed in strictly commercial and financial terms," he said.
It also wanted Hong Kong to succeed so that it could demonstrate to the world that it was perfectly capable of running Hong Kong as successfully as it had run by Britain, he added.
"But above all, I'm optimistic about Hong Kong because of the people of Hong Kong, extraordinarily resilient people who had to take a great deal in their stride in the last 45 - 50 years and I'm sure will manage 1997 without too much difficulty," said the Governor.
On the Legislative Council elections which took place on September 17, Mr Patten said the Government was committed to co-operating, hopefully constructively, with the new LegCo.
"It will involve a good deal of give-and-take but we are looking forward to the challenge," he said, adding that he was of the view the vote cast at the elections was a vote for Hong Kong.
"It was a vote for Hong Kong's way of life, the way of life of an open, free society," said the Governor.
End/Monday, September 25, 1995