XN000022-1985-04-27 — Page 2

SATURDAY, APRIL 7, 1985

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GOVT WORKING TO KEEP TERRITORY STABLE, PROSPEROUS ******

THE GOVERNMENT IS DETERMINED TO CREATE THE CONDITIONS TO ASSURE THE PROSPERITY AND STABILITY OF THE TERRITORY IN THE LEADUP TO THE RESUMPTION OF SOVEREIGNTY BY CHINA IN 1997, THE CHIEF SECRETARY, DESIGNATE, MR DAVID AKERS-JONES, SAID IN MASHINGTON YESTERDAY (FRIDAY).

SPEAKING AT THE NATIONAL PRESS CLUB, MR AKERS-JONES SAID THE GOVERNMENT WOULD WORK TO CONTINUE TO DEVELOP THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF THE TERRITORY AND TO ENSURE A WELL-REGULATED BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT IN THE YEARS AHEAD,

+THE GOVERNMENT'S AIM IS TO RETAIN THE CONFIDENCE OF BOTH THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY AND THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG SO AS TO ENSURE A SMOOTH TRANSITION TO CHINESE SOVEREIGNTY IN 1997,+ HE SAID.

HE ADDED THAT HE EXPECTED THE BASIC STRUCTURE OF THE FUTURE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION TO BE IN PLACE BY 1994 OR 1995.

TURNING TO THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN BRITAIN AND CHINA WHICH WOULD RETURN HONG KONG TO THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC. MR AKERS-JONES SAID: +RATIFICATION OF IT BY THE TWO GOVERNMENTS WITHIN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS MARKS THE SUCCESSFUL AND SENSIBLE SOLUTION OF A SEEMINGLY INTRACTABLE PROBLEM. THE RATIFICATION WILL MAKE 1985 A MOMENTOUS YEAR IN THE HISTORY OF HONG KONG.+

HE POINTED OUT THAT HONG KONG'S DEVELOPING RELATIONS WITH CHINA WERE ONE OF THE REMARKABLE FEATURES OF RECENT YEARS. ALMOST TOTAL ISOLATION HAD GIVEN WAY TO COMPREHENSIVE TRANSPORT LINKS, AND MORE THAN TWENTY MILLION VISITORS FROM HONG KONG TRAVEL TO CHINA EACH YEAR.

LOOKING TO FUTURE LINKS, MR AKERS-JONES SAID: +HONG KONG IS WELL PLACED IN THE PACIFIC ON CHINA'S COAST, MIDWAY BETWEEN THE GREAT MARKETS OF THE WORLD AND WITH AN EXCELLENT COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM, PARTICULARLY EXPANDING TELECOMMUNICATIONS LINKS WITH OTHER CHINESE CITIES.

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THIS PUT HONG KONG WITHIN EASY REACH OF A THIRD OF THE WORLD'S POPULATION IN CHINA AND NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES, HE SAID.

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