XN000022-1987-12-13 — Page 15

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SUNDAY, DECEMBER 13, 1987

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IN CONSIDERING HONG KONG'S FUTURE, IT IS USEFUL TO RECALL PAST, PARTICULARLY THE ERA SINCE THE COMMUNIST PARTY CAME TO POWER CHINA IN 1949 DURING THIS PERIOD HONG KONG, WHICH WAS DEVASTATED AND DEPOPULATED DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR, HAS DEVELOPED INTO A THRIVING CITY OF OVER FIVE AND A HALF MILLION PEOPLE. HONG KONG'S TOTAL RIPORTS PLACE THE TERRITORY THIRTEENTH IN THE WORLD LEAGUE. OUR PER CAPITA GDP OF US$6,761 IS AMONG THE VERY HIGHEST IN ASIA, AND AHEAD OF SOME WESTERN BUROPEAN COUNTRIES. ALL OF THIS HAS BEEN ACHIEVED AGAINST A BACKGROUND OF A HIGHLY UNCERTAIN POLITICAL FUTURE. UNTIL 1984 NO ONE KNEW WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IN 1997, THE EXPIRATION DATE OF BRITAIN'S NINETY-NINE YEAR LEASE ON THE NEW TERRITORIES

WHICH ACCOUNT FOR 92 PERCENT OF HONG KONG'S LAND AREA, INCLUDING MUCH OF ITS POPULATION AND INDUSTRY, ITS AIRPORT, CONTAINER PORTS, POWER STATIONS AND RESERVOIRS, AND WITHOUT WHICH THE REMAINDER OF THE TERRITORY WOULD NOT BE VIABLE. INDEED, SINCE THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA HAS NEVER RECOGNISED THE VALIDITY OF THAT NINETEENTH CENTURY LEASE, THERE WAS ALSO CONCERN, ESPECIALLY DURING THE EARLY PART OF THE CULTURAL REVOLUTION IN CHINA, ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF CHANGE EVEN BEFORE 1997. THE MODERN BUSTLING INTERNATIONAL CITY OF HONG KONG WAS BUILT UP AGAINST THIS BACKGROUND OF UNCERTAINTY.

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COURSE BR ASSUMPTION

NOW THAT UNCERTAINTY HAS BEEN REMOVED. THE SINO-BRITISH JOINT DECLARATION SETS OUT IN CONSIDERABLE DETAIL WHAT HONG KONG'8 POLITICAL FUTURK WILL BE, AS WELL AS THE POLICIES WHICH THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT WILL ADOPT TOWARDS THE TERRITORY AFTER 1997. IN ESSENCE, THE JOINT DECLARATION PROVIDES FOR HONG KONG TO MAINTAIN LIFE ALMOST UNCHANGED AFTER 1997. SOME CHANGES WILL OF NECESSARY TO REFLECT THE CHANGE OF SOVEREIGNTY AND CHINA'S OF RESPONSIBILITY FOR FOREIGN AND DEFENCE AFFAIRS. BUT CHINA HAS MADE IT CLEAR THAT IT WILL BE HONG KONG'S OWN PEOPLE, NOT PEOPLE FROM THE MAINLAND, WHO WILL COMPRISE THE GOVERNMENT OF THE HONG SAR. THEY WILL HAVE A HIGH DEGREE OF AUTONOMY ΤΟ ADMINISTER KONG ESSENTIALLY AS IT IS RUN NOW. CHINA WILL NOT THEREFORE "RUN" HONG KONG, AS THE PRESS SHORTHAND OFTEN HAS IT. NOR, OF COURSE, DOES BRITAIN "RUN' HONG KONG TODAY.

SENT KONG HONG

THE JOINT DECLARATION GUARANTEES THE CONTINUATION OF HONG HONG'S PRESENT RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS, ITS LEGAL SYSTEM AND ITS SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC SYSTEMS. IT STIPULATES THAT HONG KONG'S CAPITALIST SYSTEM, WITH RIGHTS OF OWNERSHIP PROTECTED BY LAW, ITS SECURITIES, FOREIGN EXCHANGER AND OTHER MARKETS, ITS OWN FREELY CONVERTIBLE CURRENCY, AND LACK OF EXCHANGE CONTROLS WILL CONTINUE, THE HONG KONG SAR WILL KEEP ITS OWN FINANCIAL AND FISCAL SYSTEMS, ITS FREE PORT. AND ITS OWN CUSTOMS TERRITORY. IT WILL HAVE ITS OWN TRAVEL DOCUMENTS AND ITS OWN AIR SERVICE AGREEMENTS, AND WILL CONDUCT ITS OWN ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL EXTERNAL RELATIONS. HONG KONG WILL BE ABLE ΤΟ CONTINUE TO PARTICIPATE IN INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS MUCH AS IT DORS NOW. THE FABRIC OF RELATIONSHIPS THAT MAKE HONG KONG AN INTERNATIONAL TRADING, FINANCIAL AND COMMUNICATIONS CENTRE WILL BE KEPT INTACT. ALL THESE PROVISIONS ARE GUARANTEED FOR FIFTY YEARS FROM 1997.

FOR HONG KONG