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CS: Hong Kong stronger than it has ever been
The Chief Secretary, Mrs Anson Chan, reassured the US audience on Tuesday (January 28, San Francisco time) that Hong Kong is well placed for life under Chinese sovereignty in accordance with the unique concept of "one country, two systems".
Speaking at a luncheon in San Francisco co-hosted by the World Affairs Council of Northern California, the Hong Kong Association of Northern California and the Commonwealth Club of California, Mrs Chan said:
"The Joint Declaration guarantees the separate identity which Hong Kong has long enjoyed on the international economic stage, and with Chinese agreement we have given new shape to that identity, which includes our enthusiastic participation in APEC and the WTO."
Mrs Chan was confident that Hong Kong would continue to grow and evolve as a living metropolis.
On the economic front, Mrs Chan said Hong Kong had an open market economy where liberal economics was on the march.
"An economy once dependent on low technology manufacturing of cheaper consumer goods is now dominated by knowledge-based industries which serve the needs of Asia," she said.
Mrs Chan also said that all the institutions of civil society existed in Hong Kong and were in good health.
"People enjoy the freedoms of a plural society and practise them with considerable moderation and restraint.
"Everyone works, lives, strives and excels on a level playing field under the rule of law administered by an independent judiciary," Mrs Chan said.
Apart from economic success, Mrs Chan also cited other impressive social indicators such as lowest crime rate since 1981, improving health trend and increase in the number of degree holders.
"Hong Kong is stronger than it has ever been, both economically and as a community," Mrs Chan said.
Pending the Chief Executive's announcement of his line-up of principal officials, Mrs Chan hoped that her presence in the Administration would signal to all that the Civil Service would continue to function much as it did today.