XN000022-1981-10-07 — Page 8

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 1981/

RELATIONS WITH CHINA EXCELLENT

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SINO-BRITISH RELATIONS CONTINUE TO BE EXCELLENT IN THEMSELVES AND OVER HONG KONG, THE GOVERNOR, SIR MURRAY MACLEHOSE SAID IN HIS OPENING ADDRESS TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

+ IN HONG KONG THE RELATIONS OF OUR OFFICIALS WITH THOSE OF THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT AND THE GUANGDONG PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT ARE FRIENDLY, PRACTICAL AND CONSTRUCTIVE,+'SIR MURRAY SAID.

THE GOVERNOR NOTED WITH SATISFACTION THE STEADY DEVELOPMENT OF ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION BETWEEN AGENCIES OF THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT AND HONG KONG BUSINESSMEN IN HONG KONG, GUANGDONG AND OTHER PARTS OF CHINA.

+1 AM CONVINCED THAT AT THIS TIME THE BEST CONTRIBUTION WE CAN MAKE TO OUR OWN FUTURE IS THE FOSTERING OF THE GROWING ECONOMIC LINKS THAT EXIST WITH OUR NEIGHBOUR.

+THESE ARE COMPLEMENTARY TO OUR VERY LARGE ECONOMIC INTERESTS IN OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD, HE SAID.

ON HONG KONG'S RELATIONS WITH THE UNITED KINGDOM, SIR MURRAY NOTED THAT THIS YEAR UNFORTUNATE COINCIDENCE HAD PRODUCED ONE OR TWO DEVELOPMENTS IN THE UK THAT WERE DISAGREEABLE TO HONG KONG - SUCH AS THE INCREASE IN UNIVERSITY FEES AND THE NATIONALITY BILL.

THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT PUT UP A STIFF FIGHT, AND THOUGH IT HAD NO SUCCESS ON UNIVERSITY FEES IT HAD SOME OVER THE NATIONALITY BILL.

SOME HERE AFFECTED HAD HOWEVER SEEN THESE DEVELOPMENTS AS PART OF A DELIBERATE POLICY OF DISENGAGEMENT BY THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT.

THE GOVERNOR STRESSED HOWEVER THAT THEY WERE PROMPTED BY PURELY UK CONSIDERATIONS +TOTALLY UNCONNECTED WITH HONG KONG+. THE IR TIMING WAS PURE COINCIDENCE AND THE MOST SATISFACTORY ASSURANCES OF CONTINUED UK SUPPORT FOR HONG KONG WERE GIVEN.

+ INDEED IT IS IRONIC THAT SUCH INTENTION SHOULD HAVE BEEN SUSPECTED OF A UK GOVERNMENT WHOSE MEMBERS HAVE BEEN SO HELPFUL TO HONG KONG AND FREQUENTLY SPOKEN SO WARMLY OF IT, SIR MURRAY SAID.

HE ADDED, I BELIEVE THAT IN RECENT YEARS THERE HAS BEEN A WIDER UNDERSTANDING IN PARLIAMENT OF HONG KONG, ITS PROBLEMS AND ITS ACHIEVEMENTS, AND THIS HAS BEEN DUE IN NO SMALL MEASURE. NOT ONLY TO THE VIGOUR OF SUCCESSIVE HONG KONG COMMISSIONERS, BÚT ALSO TO THE WORK OF THE ALL-PARTY PARLIAMENTARY GROUP UNDER THE CHAIRMANSHIP OF SIR PAUL BRYAN.+

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