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CS has full confidence in HK in the run-up to 1997
The Chief Secretary, Mrs Anson Chan, said tonight (Friday) that the people of Hong Kong must have confidence in themselves in the run-up to 1997 and take the fullest advantage of the opportunity to shape their own destiny.
Speaking at the Hong Kong Standard "Leader of the Year" Award Dinner, Mrs Chan said during the course of transition to 1997, much has been done to turn the concept of "one country two systems" into an operational reality.
"I think it has become increasingly clear that "one country two systems" can work and that it will work if we, as a community, have the will to make it work.
"And I know that at every level of our community, there is such a will to make it work," Mrs Chan said.
But she also recognised that the concept must be accepted in its entirety.
"We cannot cherry pick with the constitutional bedrock of our way of life after 1 July 1997. We cannot select the parts of the "one country two systems" concept we like best and ignore the rest.
"In acknowledging this, I do not for a minute suggest that we should bow our heads or abandon our principles. It is simply a matter of keeping our side of a constitutional bargain," she said.
She said she was confident that China would respect the terms of the Joint Declaration.
"Of course we must defend our way of life, but we must also respect the terms of the Joint Declaration. Both sides must keep to their side of bargain," she said.
Mrs Chan said the British Foreign Secretary's visit to Beijing earlier this month has increased the momentum of co-operation between Britain and China.
"I hope we can build on the Chinese Foreign Minister's encouraging remarks on the complex but crucial question of Hong Kong people who now have permanent residence retaining that status after 1997.