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She said these things were understood by the famous Italian artist Lorenzetti in his frescoes on the themes of good and bad government hundreds of years, and they were well understood in Hong Kong today.
Mrs Chan also mocked those who had written off Hong Kong over the years, by pointing out that since the signing of the Joint Declaration in 1984, Hong Kong's GDP had grown in real terms by 84 per cent and its fiscal reserves by over 600 per cent. And since 1989 there had been a 34 per cent increase in GDP and a 147 per cent rise in fiscal reserves.
She said it was only natural that businessmen interested in East Asia wanted to know if the future of Hong Kong would be the same as that mapped out in the Joint Declaration and Basic Law. But, anyone visiting Hong Kong now would see plenty of signs of confident planning for the future, such as the new airport and new building projects which were taking shape throughout the territory.
However, the Chief Secretary acknowledged that there were concerns about the
transition.
"We have difficulties getting the provisions of the Joint Declaration into place, especially since 1989. But piece by piece the flesh has been put on the bones of that agreement over the past 10 years and the work continues," she said.
While it was hardly surprising there had been public disagreements between Britain and China, Mrs Chan stressed that they were both committed to the full implementation of the Joint Declaration and Basic Law.
"For Europe, Hong Kong after 1997, will continue to be a place where East and West meet successfully. A place where Europeans can live and work and thrive at the centre of the world's most dynamic region," Mrs Chan concluded.
During her visit to Milan today, the Chief Secretary was guest at a breakfast meeting hosted by the chairman of the Italy Hong Kong Association, Mr Mario Boselli; met the Chairman of the Italian Stock Exchange, Dr Attilio Ventura; and held discussions with the President of the Lombardy Government, Dr Roberto Formigoni, and other regional ministers. She has also given a number of media interviews.
Mrs Chan will be in Rome tomorrow (Tuesday) for further meetings with government and business leaders.
End/Monday, November 27, 1995