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I conveyed to Mr Lu the community's concern over Hong Kong's future economic autonomy and, in that context, urged for early Chinese agreement to the six mobile telephone licences. Mr Lu reaffirmed that Hong Kong would have autonomy in handling its own economic and financial affairs, as guaranteed by JD and BL. He also undertook to look into the question of the mobile telephones.
I took the opportunity to inform Mr Lu that a study conducted by the Airport Authority indicated that there was a strong case to bring forward the commissioning of the second runway at Chek Lap Kok to end 1998. I expressed to Mr Lu HKG's confidence that the AA would do this cost-effectively. Mr Lu said that the Chinese side had no problem with the project, and suggested that before we put the proposal to the Airport Committee for confirmation, we should brief the Economic Sub-group of the PC. This we will do soon..
All told, the meeting has achieved some useful progress on some of the key transitional issues. Mr Lu and I agreed that we should maintain contact, and that the two sides should step up and intensify co-operation in the final 14 months before the transition.
End
Renewal of China's MFN status vital to HK: Governor
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Unconditional renewal of China's Most Favoured Nations (MFN) trading status and the continuance of the policy of engagement with China by the United States is the unanimous view not just of the business community, but of Hong Kong as a whole, the Governor, the Rt Hon Christopher Patten, said.
Speaking at a luncheon organised by the General Chamber of Commerce today (Friday), Mr Patten said he would put Hong Kong's case for China's MFN renewal with two arguments during his visit in the US next week.
First, the preservation of the principal of free trade.
The Governor said Hong Kong owed its success not only to the hard work and enterprise of the workforce and business community, but also free trade - access to the US market in the post-war years which gave the territory a big break. So, what concerns Hong Kong most is whether the US and China, the territory's two largest trading partners, can establish and maintain a normal trading relationship.
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