XN000022-1985-12-11 — Page 33

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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 11, 1985

+A CITY SUCH AS HONG KONG HAS HAD CONTINUOUSLY TO ADAPT ITS SOCIETY AND ITS ECONOMY TO MEET THE CHALLENGES OF A COMPETITIVE WORLD AND THE ASPIRATIONS OF ITS RESIDENTS FOR A BETTER AND FULLER LIFE.

+TO MAINTAIN ITS POSITION IT REQUIRES CONTINUING INVESTMENT IN THE CITY'S INFRASTRUCTURE, ITS COMMUNICATIONS, BY LAND, SEA AND AIR, EDUCATION AND MEDICAL FACILITIES AND ALL THE OTHER SERVICES ESSENTIAL TO A SUCCESSFUL MODERN ECONOMY AND STABLE SOCIETY.

+ I TRUST THAT WHAT YOU WILL SEE AND HEAR IN HONG KONG DURING YOUR VISIT WILL PROVIDE CONVINCING EVIDENCE OF OUR DETERMINATION TO MAKE THAT INVESTMENT AND TO PRESERVE ALL THOSE FEATURES OF LIFE WHICH HAS BEEN AT THE HEART OF HONG KONG'S SUCCESS.

+STATE COUNCILLOR, I KNOW THAT YOU WILL FIND A WELCOME WHEREVER YOU GO. THOSE WHO HAVE PLAYED A PART IN PRODUCING THE ACHIEVEMENTS TO WHICH I HAVE REFERRED ARE PROUD OF THEM, AND KEEN TO SHOW THEM TO YOU.

+AS YOU TALK TO THE MANY PEOPLE YOU WILL MEET YOU WILL HEAR, IN TYPICAL HONG KONG FASHION, A RICH VARIETY OF VIEWS ON MANY SUBJECTS. BUT YOU WILL ALSO FIND IN THE COMMUNITY HERE A UNITY IN OUR DETERMINATION TO PRESERVE THE STABILITY AND PROSPERITY OF HONG KONG AND TO MAKE A SUCCESS OF THE JOINT DECLARATION,

+FINALLY, MAY TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO WISH YOUR WIFE, MADAM XU HANBING, A SPEEDY RECOVERY AND TO SAY HOW SORRY WE ARE THAT ILLNESS PREVENTED HER FROM COMING TO HONG KONG WITH YOU.

+NOW I SHOULD LIKE TO PROPOSE A TOAST:

* TO THE HEALTH OF HIS EXCELLENCY MR JI PENGFEI;

*

*

TO THE HEALTH OF ALL FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES HERE PRESENT;

TO THE SUCCESS OF THE JOINT DECLARATION, AND THE CONTINUED PROSPERITY AND STABILITY OF HONG KONG+

IN HIS ADDRESS, MR JI SAID:

+YOUR EXCELLENCY, SIR EDWARD AND LADY YOUDE, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,

+ IT IS A GREAT PLEASURE FOR ME TO HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT HONG KONG AND MEET ALL THE FRIENDS AT THE BANQUET HOSTED BY SIR EDWARD THIS EVENING. SIR EDWARD IS OUR OLD FRIEND WHO SERVED AS BRITISH AMBASSADOR TO CHINA AND TOOK PART IN THE TALKS BETWEEN THE CHINESE AND BRITISH GOVERNMENTS ON THE QUESTION OF HONG KONG. THERE EXIST GOOD RELATIONSHIP AND FRIENDSHIP BETWEEN US.

/+PLEASE ALLOW