XN000022-1984-07-11 — Page 11

WEDNESDAY, JULY 11, 1984

MR WONG ADDED THAT 13 YEARS WERE LONG ENOUGH FOR ANY BUSINESSMAN TO COMPLETE AT LEAST ONE CYCLE, AND PROBABLY TWO, OF INVESTMENT AND TO RECOUP ANY INVESTMENT.

+FOR THE PERIOD AFTER 1997, CONSIDERING THAT BOTH GOVERNMENTS HAVE MUTUAL INTEREST IN AND COMMON OBJECTIVES ABOUT HONG KONG, PLUS THE EFFORT THAT WE, THE HONG KONG PEOPLE, ARE EXPRESSING CLEARLY OUR OPINION CONCERNING OUR FUTURE, WE CAN BELIEVE IN GOOD FAITH THAT THE AGREEMENT WILL BE ACCEPTABLE TO US.

+ON THAT BELIEF. WE SHOULD NOT DRAG OUR FOOT ANY LONGER REGARDING INVESTMENT OR RE-INVESTMENT, HE SAID.

+DISMANTLE BARRIERS OF MISTRUST+

***

-

CHEONG

BARRIERS OF MISTRUST BETWEEN BRITAIN, CHINA AND THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG SHOULD BE DISMANTLED TO BRING REAL STABILITY AND PROSPERITY TO HONG KONG, SAID THE HON STEPHEN CHEONG.

HE MADE THIS PLEA WHEN SPEAKING IN THE ADJOURNMENT DEBATE ON ECONOMIC SYSTEM AND THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

HE FELT THAT WITH AN UNDERSTANDING ALREADY REACHED OVER THE MAJOR PRINCIPLE OF SOVEREIGNTY, AND IF BOTH GOVERNMENTS WERE REALLY SINCERE IN WISHING HONG KONG WELL, THERE SHOULD BE NO PLACE FOR FURTHER UNNECESSARY MISUNDERSTANDINGS THROUGH MISINTERPRETATION AND MISTRUST.

HE SAID: +1 URGE AGAIN TODAY THAT RESPECTIVE RESPONSIBLE PERSONS, WHO MAY HAVE A HAND IN SHAPING OF THE FUTURE OF THIS TERRITORY, SHOULD TRY TO WORK TOGETHER WITH A PRAGMATIC, REALISTIC AS WELL AS MUTUALLY RESPECTFUL SPIRIT, SO THAT WHATEVER PROBLEMS THAT MAY ARISE CAN BE MET WITH A VIGOROUS SENSE OF COMMON PURPOSE.+

HE CALLED UPON THOSE WHO DOUBTED THE SERIOUSNESS OF DAMAGE THAT A CONFIDENCE CRISIS MIGHT DO TO THE STABILITY AND PROSPERITY OF HONG KONG, TO LOOK HARD AND MORE OBJECTIVELY AT THE REALITY OF HONG KONG. FOR THESE PROBLEMS WERE REAL AND NOT IMAGINARY.

ON THE OTHER HAND, HE ASKED THOSE WHO HAD DOUBTS AND FEARS ABOUT THE PRACTICABILITY OF THE +ONE COUNTRY TWO SYSTEMS+ CONCEPT TO TRY TO ACCEPT FIRST THE SINCERITY AND GOOD INTENTIONS OF THE PROPONENTS BEHIND SUCH A CONCEPT. SECONDLY, THE CONCEPT MUST BE EVALUATED IN A MORE POSITIVE LIGHT, HE ADDED.

/+ON A