XN000022-1984-10-16 — Page 12

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 16, 1984

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+BUT IN THE MEANTIME YOU MUST GET YOUR CONFIDENCE BACK - IN YOURSELF, IN HONG KONG AND IN OUR FUTURE, SHE SAID.

DR IP SAID SHE COMMENDED THE DRAFT AGREEMENT TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG.

SHE SINCERELY HOPED THAT THEY WOULD CEASE TO WASTE ANY MORE TIME AND ENERGY ON THE UNCERTAINTIES AND PUT ALL THE IR ENERGY BACK INTO BUILDING UP HONG KONG.

+HELP +HONG KONG NEEDS EVERY ONE OF YOU, DR IP SAID. YOURSELVES AND HELP CHINA IN ITS MODERNISATION PROGRAMME SO THAT, IN 13 YEARS PLUS 50, THE GAP BETWEEN CHINA AND HONG KONG CAN BE NARROWED.+

JOINT EFFORT NEEDED TO PUT WORDS INTO PRACTICE

▬▬

CHAN YING-LUN

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IF THE DRAFT AGREEMENT ON HONG KONG COULD BE FULLY IMPLEMENTED THE PROSPERITY AND STABILITY OF THE TERRITORY WOULD BE MAINTAINED AND THE EXPECTATIONS OF THE PEOPLE REALISED, THE HON CHAN YING-LUN SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF THE MOTION ENDORSING THE DRAFT AGREEMENT, MR CHAN SAID THE CONCERTED EFFORT AND DETERMINATION OF CHINA, THE UNITED KINGDOM AND HONG KONG WERE NEEDED TO TRANSLATE THE WRITTEN WORDS INTO PRACTICE.

+ THE UNITED KINGDOM HAS PROMISED THAT HONG KONG WILL HAVE A HIGHLY EFFICIENT AND COMPETENT GOVERNMENT IN THE COMING 13-YEAR TRANSITION PERIOD.

+ IT IS BEYOND DOUBT THAT THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT, WITH ITS FINE TRACK RECORD, CAN FULFIL THE ABOVE PROMISE.

+WITH THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT'S CONVENTIONAL BASIC PRINCIPLE OF SEEKING PROGRESS WITH CAUTION, AND THE PRACTICAL AND REALISTIC ATTITUDE OF THE LOCAL PEOPLE, WE BELIEVE THAT HONG KONG, THOUGH FACED WITH A CHANGE OF POLITICAL SYSTEM, CAN HAVE A MORE OPEN AND EFFICIENT GOVERNMENT,+ HE SAID.

MR CHAN SAID MANY PEOPLE HERE WERE STILL DOUBTFUL AS TO WHETHER THE DRAFT AGREEMENT WOULD BE IMPLEMENTED.

+THUS WE THINK THAT 'THE QUESTION OF CONFIDENCE' STILL EXISTS. +NEVERTHELESS, THE MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE SHOULD FEEL AT EASE AFTER READING THROUGH THE DRAFT AGREEMENT, HE SAID.

/THE QUESTION