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Mr Paul Cheng: Mr Foreign Minister, I apologise first of all for the duplication of some of these questions, but let me try it from a different angle in terms of the overall relationship between the three parties so to speak, Britain, China and Hong Kong. On the one hand it's very good to have so many different channels of communication. It gives us flexibility. On the other hand it does create some confusion and that's why I'm asking for your understanding of the respective roles of all these different sort of foreign office, the Chinese Government, the Hong Kong Government, the Preparatory Committee, the JLG and so forth, because first of all we are delighted to hear that you had a successful meeting with the Chinese Foreign Minister. The Hong Kong relationship with Beijing is not very good because top management, so to speak on both sides, has not met. JLG's performance is mixed at best. The Preparatory Committee is something in the future, we don't know too much about it. So I would like to see if you can give us some specific examples of what you talked to the Chinese Prime Minister about and what your agreements were during his visit to UK and then also specifically what you intend to follow-up in this area when you go to Beijing, in more specific terms, if possible?
Mr Rifkind: The meetings I will have, the programme that has been arranged for my visit to China, will be a very substantive programme and I will be able to speak directly to very senior Chinese leaders and that will be a very important opportunity to share with them our thoughts about the situation as it currently exists with regard to Hong Kong and what can best ensure the successful transition that we are all working
for.
The issues that we will be discussing will be the whole range that you would expect. The issues on which there either is as yet an unresolved policy or in which there is disagreement. In both areas we will cover these matters because otherwise these talks would be of little benefit to either side and so we will be concentrating on those issues where there have not yet been decisions, where there is discussion continuing, and also I will wish to raise those issues where there is a difference of view. Where we believe that current policy or what may be current policy may be unwise and unhelpful. So it will be across the whole spectrum and I shall be in Peking for over two days and there will be very good opportunity, with several people whom I will be meeting at a very senior level, to ensure that these views are heard and hopefully we can discuss them in a very constructive way.
Mr David Chu: Mr Foreign Secretary, in your speech this afternoon you still seem to treat Hong Kong as a cause for confrontation rather than co-operation with China. With just over 17 months left, isn't it time for Britain to help Hong Kong reconcile with China?