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I
"There was,' as you say, been a transformation: in short,
Hong Kong now has, necsured by most criteria, the highest standard
of living in Asia, after Japan, Of course, there is still
poverty, and in most respects there is still a long way to go before
European standards are reached.
—
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"But under successive Governorg and I am glad that we have
Sir Robert Black and Sir David Trench here tonight, even if, sadly,
our President, Sir Alexander Grantham, cannot be here under their
leadership, and under the present leadership of Sir Murray incLehose,
the Hong Kong Government can be proud of its considerable achievements
in providing housing, medical services and education for a population
that, swollen by refugees, has increased from about one million to
4 million today.
"Doctor Harry Fang, who will be known to many of you as
a distinguished orthopaedic surgeon and member of the Hong Kong
Legislative Council, end who is presently in this country as a terber
of a Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Delegation, has kindly
agreed to respond to the toast to the guests tonight, and I know that
he will be touching on the achievements - I suppose unique in the
post-war world of the Hong Kong Governant, so I will say no more
-
on this subject.
"The Government, however, can only provide the inspiration
and the framework, important thought there are, Hong Kong itself
has no natural resources, other than its hard-working and ingenious
population, and they depend upon exports, services and tourism to
survive.
"Hong Kong is, I think, increasingly aware of the importance
of its special relationship with Britain, and herein, as you have
emphasised, lies an opportunity for Britain, since for all the obvious
/reasons,
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