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If you will allow me the permission, Mr President, I would also like to ask the Governor a question that is if you do not rule me out of order. And the question is that should this or similar events occur after the change of sovereignty, to Hong Kong people travelling with a BNO or BOC passport, what would be the British Government's action, if any, and how could we see the whole process being initiated?
Governor: I am grateful to the honourable gentleman for that expression of gratitude. I know that all our discussions together take place in that warm feeling of exchanges of gratitude from both sides, and I am sure this session will continue in that spirit.
I think it is fair to say that what we saw in the case of Mr AU and Mr WONG was very good teamwork between this Council - and it would be invidious to single out individual members but I know that there were many who took a very close personal interest in the case and went to considerable trouble to help Mr Au and Mr Wong - the Hong Kong Government - and I was pleased that I was able to raise the issue directly when I visited the Philippines, with President Ramos, last December - and the British Government as well, it was raised by a number of ministers and officials on a variety of visits to the Philippines and meetings with Philippines ministers.
There are two points I would just like to add on that particular case. The first is that having met Mr Au and Mr Wong myself, I am sure that like many honourable members I have been struck by their extraordinary fortitude in bearing the difficult conditions of the last few years with such strength of character. I was very impressed by my meeting with them and with their families. They can, of course, be absolutely certain that they will get all the help that is required as far as welfare benefits and other matters are concerned, as they re-establish themselves and prepare to re-launch themselves on what I hope will be successful business and professional careers.
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Secondly, I think a reason why we are all pleased that this has at last been up is that we do have a very good relationship with the Philippines. There is a large Filipina community here in Hong Kong which is making such a substantial contribution to our own well-being and welfare, and this issue, I think, was one of the very few difficulties in an otherwise excellent relationship and I would like to express my gratitude to President Ramos for his part in clearing it up.
The position as far as after 1997 is concerned is, I hope, clear and was I think made clear by both the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary during their visits. Those who travel on a British passport will have all the consular protection after 1997 that they could expect today. I hope that they will also be able to count on co- operation between the future sovereign power and the United Kingdom which provides them with the consular protection. I hope that that is the case and I am sure that Chinese officials would want to stress that it would be the case if they were sitting here in my position which perhaps one day they may.
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