XN000022-1984-10-15 — Page 8

MONDAY, OCTOBER 15, 1984

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+THE WORLD AT LARGE WILL BE WATCHING WITH INTEREST AND THAT PROVIDES A REAL ASSURANCE THAT THE TERMS OF THE AGREEMENT WILL BE IMPLEMENTED.

+THE WORLD AT LARGE WILL ALSO BE WATCHING DURING THE NEXT 12 YEARS OR SO FOR ANY SIGNS THAT THE TERMS OF THE AGREEMENT WILL BE DISREGARDED, SHE SAID.

+SECOND: THE CHINESE LEADERSHIP WOULD SURELY NOT HAVE COMMITTED SO MUCH NEGOTIATING EFFORT INTO REACHING AN AGREEMENT WITH HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT AND WHY SHOULD THEY HAVE AGREED TO SET OUT THE IR INTENDED POLICIES FOR THE HONG KONG SAR AFTER 1997 IN SUCH DETAIL IF THEY HAVE NO INTENTION OF ADHERING TO THE TERMS OF THE AGREEMENT?

+THIRD: THE CHINESE LEADERSHIP HAVE STATED WITH CONVICTION, AND WITH APPARENT SINCERITY, AND CERTAINLY IN EXPLICIT TERMS, THAT THE AGREEMENT WILL BE IMPLEMENTED.

+THEY HAVE THEREBY PUBLICLY STAKED THE IR PERSONAL PRESTIGE AND REPUTATION IN THE EYES OF THE WORLD.

+FOURTH THE CHINESE LEADERSHIP ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS HAVE STATED THAT IT IS IN CHINA'S NATIONAL INTEREST TO IMPLEMENT THE TERMS OF THE AGREEMENT.

+WHY?

+BECAUSE HONG KONG'S CONTINUED STABILITY AND PROSPERITY IS IMPORTANT TO THE SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE HISTORIC TASK OF CHINA'S REUNIFICATION AND THE FOUR MODERNISATIONS PROGRAMME.

+ TO REPEAT, IF CHINA HAS NO INTENTION OF IMPLEMENTING THIS AGREEMENT, WHY SHOULD THEY HAVE SPENT TWO YEARS NEGOTIATING IT?

+AFTER ALL, 92 PER CENT OF HONG KONG REVERTS TO CHINA ON JULY 1, 1997, WITH OR WITHOUT AN AGREEMENT.

+

+ INDEED I SUBMIT THAT THE CHINESE LEADERSHIP NEGOTIATED LONG AND HARD IN THE LAST TWO YEARS SO THAT THE TERMS AGREED WOULD BE ACCEPTABLE TO THEM AND WOULD BE ACCEPTABLE TO SUCCEEDING GENERATIONS AND SO THAT THOSE TERMS CAN REALISTICALLY BE IMPLEMENTED.

+ IN SO DOING THEY HAVE IN EFFECT SAID THAT THOSE ARE THE TERMS OF A SETTLEMENT WHICH WE PERCEIVE TO BE IN THE NATIONAL

INTEREST.

+THIS BRINGS ME TO A FIFTH REASON WHY I BELIEVE THE CHINESE SIDE WILL FAITHFULLY IMPLEMENT THE TERMS OF THE AGREEMENT: HAVING TASTED THE FRUITS OF POST-CULTURAL REVOLUTION POLICIES, THE CHINESE PEOPLE THEMSELVES WILL NOT EASILY ACCEPT ANY MOVE WHICH IS LIKELY TO DIMINISH THE BENEFICIAL IMPACT OF THOSE POLICIES, INCLUDING A FAILURE OF THE HONG KONG SAR TO FULFIL ITS DESTINY, THAT IS TO SAY, TO HELP IN THE RECONSTRUCTION OF CHINA.

/+PINALLY: THE.