TUESDAY, OCTOBER 16, 1984
HE SAID THE BASIC LAW WOULD SET THE TONE FOR THE FUTURE GOVERNMENT OF HONG KONG AND, CONSEQUENTLY, IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT THAT DUE CONSIDERATION BE GIVEN TO THE BEST SELECTION PROCESS FOR OUR FUTURE TOP EXECUTIVES WHETHER BY ELECTIONS OR CONSULTATIONS, GIVEN THE NEED TO MAINTAIN AND ENCHANCE THE INTERNATIONAL INVESTMENTS THAT HAD MADE HONG KONG WHAT IT WAS TODAY, AND WITHOUT WHICH HONG KONG WOULD VERY QUICKLY BECOME WHAT IT WAS BEFORE.
MR CHEUNG ASKED, WITH THE PROSPECT OF PLA TROOPS BEING STATIONED IN HONG KONG AFTER 1997, WOULD OUR THEN CHIEF EXECUTIVE BE EMPOWERED TO ISSUE MILITARY DIRECTIVES IF SO REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN PUBLIC ORDER?
HE ALSO ASKED WOULD OUR YOUNG MEN AS CHINESE CITIZENS BE REQUIRED TO SERVE WITH THE CHINESE MILITARY FORCES, OR WOULD THE IR SAR RESIDENCE PRECLUDE SUCH MILITARY SERVICE?
ON FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT, MR CHEUNG ASKED WOULD CHINESE CITIZENS OF HONG KONG BE SUBJECT TO STATE DIRECTION REGARDING THE IR MOVEMENTS WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF CHINA?
+FREEDOM OF TRAVEL AFTER 1997 WOULD NOT BE OF MUCH GOOD TO HONG KONG PEOPLE WITHOUT THE TRAVEL DOCUMENTS TO DO SO, AND SUCH TRAVEL DOCUMENTS WOULD BE OF LITTLE USE IF THEY ARE NOT DULY RECOGNISED BY OTHER COUNTRIES, HE SAID. HE QUESTIONED WHETHER USE OF SEPARATE MEMORANDA TO CONTAIN THE VARIOUS PLEDGES ON NATIONAL ITY SUGGESTED THAT NEITHER BRITAIN NOR CHINA WAS WILLING TO MAKE A FIRM COMMITMENT?
+NO AGREEMENT IS BETTER THAN A BAD AGREEMENT, AND THIS AGREEMENT IS BETTER THAN NO AGREEMENT, MR CHEUNG SAID.
+IN GREAT SERIOUSNESS, WE ARE DETERMINING THE FATE OF OUR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN, ON A CHART BASED ON PROMISES OF GOOD FAITH,
+ IT REMINDED ME OF HAMLET'S SOLILOQUY, A TRIP FROM WHICH NO ONE HAS YET RETURNED.
+THE RISK IS THERE.
+BUT IT IS ALSO A CHALLENGE FOR A BOLD DECISION TO BE MADE.
+BECAUSE THE PROMISES ARE MADE IN GOOD FAITH, I COMMEND IT TO THOSE WHO WILL BE RESIDENTS OF HONG KONG AFTER 1997.+
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