MONDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 1980
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AS FOR THE FUTURE, THE DOMINANT FACTOR AT THIS JUNCTURE TO MY MIND IS NOT AN END BUT A BEGINNING. THE BEGINNING OF NEW OPPORTUNITIES THAT NOW BECKON IN SO MANY DIRECTIONS. IN HONG KONG ITSELF, INDUSTRIAL, FINANCIAL AND CONSTRUCTIONAL DEVELOPMENTS OFFER GREAT OPPORTUNITIES FOR UNITED KINGDOM EXPORTERS, AND IF THEY USE HONG KONG AS A BASE, SO TOO DO THE MARKETS OF THE SOUTH WEST PACIFIC BASIN WITH EXTRAORDINARILY HIGH RATES OF ECONOMIC GROWTH AND THEIR COMPARATIVELY NEW-FOUND POLITICAL STABILITY. BUT ABOVE ALL THERE IS A NEW BEGINNING, AN AWAKENING OPPORTUNITY, IN RELATIONS WITH CHINA. THE EVOLUTION OF A CONSTRUCTIVE AND CO-OPERATIVE RELATIONSHIP HAS BEEN QUICK BUT IS SOUNDLY BASED ON IMMEDIATE AND LONG-TERM MUTUAL BENEFIT. I AM NOT A GAZER INTO CRYSTAL BALLS, BUT A WORKING GOVERNOR BUT IT IS NOT FANCIFUL TO FORESEE THE STEADY INDUSTRIALISATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE PEARL RIVER ESTUARY FROM GUANGZHOU TO HONG KONG, OR THE PART THAT WILL BE PLAYED IN THIS PROCESS BY HONG KONG'S HARBOUR AND HONG KONG INDUSTRIALISTS, EXPORTERS AND FINANCIERS ON THE ONE HAND AND BY THE PLANNERS' WORKFORCE AND SKILLS AND THE LAND, AGRICULTURE, ELECTRIC POWER AND WATER, OF GUANGDONG ON THE OTHER. AND THE DEVELOPMENT WILL NOT ONLY BE WITH GUANGDONG. EVEN NOW HONG KONG BUSINESSMEN HAVE OPERATIONS GOING IN MANY OF THE MAJOR CITIES OF CHINA, AND I REPEAT WE ARE JUST AT THE BEGINNING OF A NEW ERA BROUGHT ABOUT BY NEW MEN AND NEW POLICIES IN THE CENTRAL LEADERSHIP IN PEKING. FOR A CENTURY MODERNISATION HAS BEEN THE DREAM OF CHINA. THOUGH OF COURSE A GREAT DEAL HAS BEEN ACHIEVED, SHE HAS SO FAR BEEN CHEATED OF THE DECISIVE CONTINUOUS PROGRESS BY WAR, CIVIL WAR, REVOLUTION AND MIS-MANAGEMENT. NOW AT LAST ONE FEELS THAT THOUGH MODERNISATION MAY COME SLOWLY, AT LAST IT HAS COME TO STAY TO THE ENORMOUS BENEFIT OF CHINA AND, OF COURSE, TO HONG KONG,
I REALISE I AM TALKING TO THE CONVERTED, BECAUSE AMONGST OUR GUESTS ARE SO MANY FRIENDS OF HONG KONG AND SO MANY WHO KNOW IT WELL AND ARE PROBABLY BETTER QUALIFIED TO SPEAK ABOUT IT THAN MYSELF. WE AS A MISSION ARE ENORMOUSLY ENCOURAGED BY THE PRESENCE TONIGHT OF SO MANY OF OUR FRIENDS WHO HAVE COME TO SUPPORT OUR BELIEF THAT ECONOMIC TIES WITH THE UNITED KINGDOM CAN BE FURTHER STRENGTHENED.
FROM TIME TO TIME THERE IS TALK ABOUT THE POLITICAL RELATION- SHIP BETWEEN LONDON AND HONG KONG. AFTER NINE YEARS' EXPERIENCE I CAN SAY THAT IT IS BOTH A SATISFACTORY AND HELPFUL ONE, AND ONE IN WHICH THE SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGEMENT OF THE UNITED KINGDOM HAS NEVER BEEN LACKING WHEN IT HAS BEEN NEEDED AND COULD BE GIVEN. THE RAPID RESPONSE OF HMG LAST YEAR TO OUR PROBLEMS OVER VIETNAMESE BOAT REFUGEES, AND ALSO TO OUR REQUEST FOR REINFORCEMENTS FOR THE GARRISON, ARE BOTH OBVIOUS EXAMPLES.
I AM THEREFORE PARTICULARLY GLAD THAT A MINISTER OF THE CROWN, MR PARKINSON, SHOULD HAVE FOUND TIME TO ATTEND THIS DINNER AS A SIGN OF OFFICIAL APPROVAL OF OUR PURPOSE. HIS RECENT VISIT TO HONG KONG WAS AS GREAT A PRACTICAL SUCCESS AS IT WAS A PERSONAL TRIUMPH, AND WE ALL LOOK FORWARD TO HIM RETURNING.
I NOW HAVE MUCH PLEASURE IN PROPOSING A TOAST TO OUR GUESTS.+
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