Transcript of CS's media session
Following is the transcript of the remarks made to the media by the Chief Secretary, Mrs Anson Chan, at the Central Government Offices this (Tuesday) afternoon:
CS: I want to make a comment. I know that there has been radio report of utterances from individual Chinese officials concerning principal officials. As you know, we do not comment on these individual utterances and I would expect that on a matter as important as this, that if the Chinese have a view about this, they will communicate that view to us officially through established channels. As regards the criteria for principal officials, as you well know, criteria are clearly laid down in the Basic Law and the Joint Declaration and I'm sure both sides would act strictly according to the provisions of the Basic Law and the Joint Declaration. I simply like further to add that both the Chinese side and the British and Hong Kong Government side have stressed repeatedly the importance of continuity in the civil service and giving confidence to civil servants in the transition. And I'm sure neither would wish to take any action that in anyway erodes confidence or makes civil servants feel uncomfortable about the transition and about life after 1997.
End
Transcript of FS's media session
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The following is the transcript of the Financial Secretary, Mr Donald Tsang's remark at a media session at the Central Government Offices this (Tuesday) afternoon:
FS: There are many media reports on what Chinese officials and others have been saying, have said, emerging from the meeting in Beijing. It would be inappropriate for me to answer or to make a response on individual comments. But there are a few points which are quite clear. First of all, the Hong Kong Government is determined to co-operate fully with the experts of the Chinese side on the Joint Liaison Group in preparing the transitional Budget for 1997-98. This would be a 12-month Budget covering the entire financial year and it is a common position on both sides. And this is a very important point because we need a twelve-month Budget to ensure fiscal, monetary stability during the transitional phase and it will be necessary for the long term economic development of Hong Kong too.