XN000022-1987-06-11 — Page 10

THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 1987

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NEED TO BALANCE ALL PARTS OF THE POLITICAL SYSTEM STRESSED

HONG KONG MUST ADJUST GRADUALLY AND MAINTAIN THE BALANCE BETWEEN THE VARIOUS PARTS OF THE POLITICAL SYSTEM INSTEAD OF DWELLING ON JUST ONE PART OF THE SYSTEM, THE SPECIAL ADVISER TO THE GOVERNOR, SIR DAVID AKERS-JONES, SAID TODAY (THURSDAY).

SPEAKING AT AN ACADEMIC SYMPOSIUM ENTITLED "THE HISTORIC TRIANGLE OF BRITAIN, CHINA AND HONG KONG: A 60-YEAR RETROSPECTIVE" AT BAPTIST COLLEGE, SIR DAVID SAID THE BALANCE BETWEEN THE EXECUTIVE AND THE LEGISLATURE AND BETWEEN THE LEGISLATURE, THE MUNICIPAL COUNCILS AND THE DISTRICT BOARDS, AND THE POLITY AS A WHOLE MUST BE MAINTAINED.

HE ADDED THAT THE STABILITY OF HONG KONG WHICH HAD RESULTED IN A STABLE POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT PROVIDED BY BOTH BRITAIN AND CHINA WAS BEING SUBTLY BUT NEVERTHELESS RADICALLY ALTERED.

"THE COLONIAL UMBRELLA WILL BE FOLDED UP AND PUT AWAY, CHINESE SOVEREIGNTY WILL BE RESUMED BUT HONG KONG'S FUTURE WITH ALL THOSE INGREDIENTS, WHICH HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO ECONOMIC PROSPERITY IN THE PAST, WILL BE RETAINED," HE NOTED.

HE SAID THAT HONG KONG WOULD ELECT ITS LEGISLATURE AS ONE OF THE DEVICES TO DEMONSTRATE ITS HIGH DEGREE OF AUTONOMY AND IT HAD BEEN THE SUBJECT OF MUCH HEATED DEBATE.

"IT IS A DEBATE WHICH IS TENDING TO GET OUT OF FOCUS WITH, PERHAPS, AN OBSESSIVE INTEREST IN THE PART TO BE PLAYED BY DIRECT ELECTIONS WITHOUT SUFFICIENT ATTENTION BEING GIVEN TO THE WEB OF INTERLOCKING RELATIONSHIPS WHICH AT PRESENT COMPOSE AND WILL IN FUTURE COMPOSE THE HONG KONG POLITY, SIR DAVID SAID.

TURNING TO THE TRIANGULAR RELATIONSHIP OF BRITAIN, CHINA AND HONG KONG, HE SAID THAT IF THERE WAS ONE COMMON FACTOR AT THE HEART. OF THE TRIANGLE, IT WAS THE HARBOUR OF HONG KONG.

SIR DAVID SAID IT WAS TRADE, AND TWENTIETH CENTURY TRADE SYMBOLISED NOW BY BOTH THE HARBOUR AND THE AIRPORT THAT LINKED THE TRIANGLE TOGETHER. "THE REST IS THE PEOPLE, THE NATIONS INVOLVED AND THE POLITICS.

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"NOW, MORE THAN EVER BEFORE, TRADE IS AT THE CENTRE OF THESE RELATIONSHIPS AND WILL BE IN THE FUTURE, HE SAID.

HE SAID THE DOUBLING OF RAILWAY BETWEEN HONG KONG AND PEKING, THE INCREASING AIR ROAD AND FERRY LINK FROM HONG KONG TO ALL PARTS OF CHINA, AND THE SHIPS AND AIRCRAFT THAT MOVE IN AND OUT OF HONG KONG BY THE THOUSANDS EVERY MONTH TO DESTINATIONS ALL OVER THE THE SYMBOLS OF TRADE AND PROSPERITY.

WORLD

WERE

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