XN000022-1984-09-26 — Page 16

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 1984

Q:

?.... AFTER THE YEAR 2000

A: OH, AFTER THE YEAR THE 2000 THE GROUP, I THINK, WILL CEASE TO EXIST. BUT THE IMPORTANT THING IS THAT GROUP DOES NOT COME TO AN END ON THE DATE OF JUNE 30, 1997. IT REMAINS IN EXISTENCE UNTIL THE BEGINNING OF THE 21ST CENTURY.

Q:

MR LAU OF TVB NEWS, HONG KONG

NOW THE JOINT DECLARATION HAS BEEN INITIALLED IN PEKING AND LONDON, THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG WILL BE ASKED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE DRAFTING OF THE BAISC LAW THAT IS GOING TO GOVERN THE SHAPE OF THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG IN YEARS TO COME. WOULD THE UNITED KINGDOM GOVERNMENT AND THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT TAKE SPECIFIC PLANS TO HELP PEOPLE OF HONG KONG IN THE DRAFTING OF THIS BASIC LAW?

A: THE BASIC LAW IS GOING TO BE A BASIC LAW PRODUCED BY THE GOVERNMENT OF CHINA BUT IT IS A VERY IMPORTANT FEATURE THAT THE PROVISIONS OF THE AGREEMENT WILL BE INCORPORATED IN THAT BASIC LAW AND THAT IS ONE OF THE MATTERS, WHICH OBVIOUSLY WE SHALL REGARD, AND THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT WILL REGARD AS SOMETHING OF GREAT IMPORTANCE.

Q.

WHAT SPECIFIC PLANS DO THE UK GOVERNMENT AND THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT HAVE IN ORDER TO HELP HONG KONG PEOPLE TO DRAFT THE BASIC LAW?

A. WELL, THE UK GOVERNMENT AND THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT AND THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT WILL ALL REMAIN INTENSELY INTERESTED AND COMMITTED TO THE FULFILLMENT AND CARRYING THROUGH OF THE AGREEMENT - INCLUDING THAT PART OF IT.

Q. I AM A CORRESPONDENT FROM SHANGHAI BUT I AM ALSO REPRESENTING THE HONG KONG DAILY, WEN WEI PAO. MY QUESTION IS THAT: DO YOU THINK THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN CHINA AND BRITAIN ON THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG WILL OPEN UP NEW POSSIBILITIES FOR CLOSER COOPERATION AND MUTUAL BENEFIT BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF HONG KONG?

I THINK THAT THE A. I CERTAINLY BELIEVE THAT TO BE THE CASE. WAY IN WHICH TWO GOVERNMENTS OF TWO COUNTRIES FROM SUCH DIFFERENT HISTORIC AND CULTURAL BACKGROUNDS HAVE WORKED TOGETHER. AS THE CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTER AND I HAVE WORKED TOGETHER, AS OUR NEGOTIATORS HAVE WORKED TOGEHTER, HAS GIVEN ME AT LEAST A TREMENDOUSLY VALUABLE INSIGHT INTO THE WAY IN WHICH THE CHINESE PEOPLE SEE THE FUTURE. WE BOTH BELIEVE THAT THIS WILL CERTAINLY GIVE OPPORTUNITIES FOR FURTHER CLOSER COOPERATION IN A WIDER FIELD.

TREVOR MACDONALD,