XN000022-1974-06-25 — Page 5

TUESDAY, JUNE 25, 1974

HE WARNED HOWEVER: +WE MUST NOT ALLOW THESE PREOCCUPATIONS TO BE TALKED UP INTO MUTUAL CONFRONTATION. SUCH A CONFRONTATION COULD ONLY BE TO THE DISADVANTAGE OF HONG KONG. BUT MORE IMPORTANT THAN ANY OF THIS IS BRITAIN'S POSITION ON THE WORLD STAGE.+

SIR ANTHONY SAID IT WAS PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT THAT BRITAIN'S FOREIGN POLICY SHOULD BE PURSUED WITH DETERMINATION AND GOODWILL IN TWO AREAS - FIRST, AS REGARDS CHINA AND SECOND, AS REGARDS HONG KONG'S INTERESTS IN BRITAIN'S MEMBERSHIP IN THE E.E.C.

+HONG KONG,+ HE SAID, +CAN ONLY EXIST AND CONFIDENCE BE MAINTAINED WITH A FRIENDLY CHINA ON ITS BORDERS.+

THE LAST BRITISH ADMINISTRATION'S POLICY TO IMPROVE RELATIONS WITH CHINA, HE SAID, WAS PROMPTED IN THE INTEREST OF HONG KONG'S INTERESTS= THE TRADING POSSIBILITIES WITH CHINA- AND THE DESIRABILITY OF HELPING CHINA WITH HER AIN TO PLAY A PART ON THE WORLD SCENE.

+THIS POLICY HAS HET WITH RESOUNDING SUCCESS AND I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT IT WILL PLAY ITS PART IN MAINTAINING CONFIDENCE IN HONG KONG AND ASSISTING THE GOVERNOR AND THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG TO MAINTAIN ITS POSITION AS A MAJOR TRADING NATION IN THE FAR EAST DURING THE YEARS AHEAD, + SIR ANTHONY SAID.

THE WELCOMING SPEECH AT THE DINNER WAS GIVEN BY SIR MICHAEL HERRIES, CHAIRMAN OF THE HONG KONG ASSOCIATION.

GUESTS FROM HONG KONG INCLUDED SIR DOUGLAS CLAGUE, DR. LI CHOH-MING, VICE-CHANCELLOR OF THE CHINESE UNIVERSITY, AND MR. LI FOOK-KOW, SECRETARY FOR SOCIAL SERVICES

NOTE TO EDITORS: COPIES OF THE FULL

COPIES OF THE FULL TEXT OF THE GOVERNOR'S SPEECH WILL BE BOXED FOR COLLECTION THIS EVENING.

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