XN000022-1984-10-16 — Page 13

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 16, 1984

THE QUESTION OF CONFIDENCE WAS NOW DIRECTED TOWARDS THE FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS OF HONG KONG, PARTICULARLY DEVELOPMENTS BEYOND OUR CONTROL.

+THIS IS THE ONE ASPECT THE PEOPLE ARE QUITE WORRIED ABOUT.

+HOWEVER, IF WE THINK CAREFULLY, WE SHALL ARRIVE AT A

CONCLUSION.

+WHY WORRY ABOUT SOMETHING THAT IS NOT WITHIN OUR CONTROL AND THUS BEYOND OUR CAPABILITY TO INTERFERE?

*WHY NOT USE OUR ENERGY TO DO SOMETHING WHICH CAN REALLY BE DONE, ACTIVELY ENGAGING OURSELVES FOR THE BETTERMENT OF HONG KONG SO THAT THE 63 YEARS AHEAD CAN BE BUILT ON A FIRM FOUNDATION?

+THIS IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF ALL THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG. +FOR OURSELVES, FOR THE NEXT GENERATION, WE SHOULD ALL DO BETTER TO MAKE POSITIVE CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE PROSPERITY AND STABILITY OF HONG KONG.

+AS WE ALL UNDERSTAND, A STABLE AND PROSPEROUS HONG KONG IS THE BEST GUARANTEE FOR THE REALISATION OF OUR EXPECTATION, MR CHAN SAID.

THE HE FELT THAT IF, IN THE NEXT THREE TO FIVE YEARS, PREVAILING CHINESE POLICIES WERE MAINTAINED AND THE LIVING STANDARD IN CHINA WAS BEING RAISED CONTINUOUSLY, THE FAITH OF HONG KONG IN CHINA WOULD DEFINITELY INCREASE WITH TIME.

THIS RESTS ON THE DETERMINATION OF THE CHINESE LEADERSHIP AND THE EFFORTS OF ITS PEOPLE.

ON THE SINO-BRITISH JOINT LIAISON GROUP, MR CHAN SAID THAT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING WAS TO DEFINE CLEARLY THE TERMS OF REFERENCE OF THE GROUP, SPECIFYING PRECISELY THAT IT HAD NO EXECUTIVE AND SUPERVISORY POWER, AND WAS SET UP MERELY TO ASSIST HONG KONG IN THE SMOOTH TRANSFER OF GOVERNMENT IN ORDER THAT THE AGREEMENT COULD BE EFFECTIVELY IMPLEMENTED.

+ IT MUST BE NOTED THAT ANY MOVE OR ACTION WHICH MAY BE PERCEIVED BY HONG KONG PEOPLE THAT HONG KONG'S ADMINISTRATION IS BEING INTERFERED WITH MAY THROW SUSPICION ON THE WORK OF THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP, THEREBY UNDERMINING THE CONFIDENCE OF HONG KONG PEOPLE TOWARDS IMPLEMENTATION OF THE AGREEMENT,+ MR CHAN SAID.

+BESIDES HAVING SERIOUS REPERCUSSIONS, SUCH ACTION OR MOVE WILL ALSO LEAD TO DOUBTS OVER THE INDEPENDENCE OF THE FUTURE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION GOVERNMENT IN MANAGING ITS OWN AFFAIRS.

/+50 I