XN000022-1988-01-26 — Page 2

TUESDAY, JANUARY 26, 1988

CS STRESSES IMPORTANCE OF CHINA LINKS, CONTINUITY IN HK

THE

OF STRONG, MUTUALLY WAS HIGHLIGHTED TODAY FORD, WHO NOTED THAT

IMPORTANCE OF THE DEVELOPMENT BENEFICIAL LINKS BETWEEN HONG KONG AND CHINA (TUESDAY) BY THE CHIEF SECRETARY, SIR "TIMES HAVE CHANGED DRAMATICALLY SINCE THE SIXTIES AND SEVENTIES, WHEN LINKS WERE FEW.

DAVID

THE DEVELOPMENT OF SUCH LINKS WAS COMPARABLE IN IMPORTANCE TO THE JOINT DECLARATION, SIR DAVID SAID IN A SPEECH TO THE ROTARY CLUB OF HONG KONG ON THE SUBJECT OF "HONG KONG IN TRANSITION.

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THE JOINT DECLARATION HERALDED A MOST IMPORTANT CHANGE--THE CHANGE OF SOVEREIGNTY IN 1997--BUT, HE SAID, THE BULK OF THE DOCUMENT WAS ABOUT CONTINUITY--"CONTINUING OUR PRESENT INSTITUTIONS AND WAY OF LIFE.

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"THE PROVISIONS OF THE JOINT DECLARATION REFLECT THE IMPORTANCE TO CHINA AS WELL AS TO HONG KONG THAT THE SEPARATENESS OF THE TWO SHOULD BE MAINTAINED, HE EMPHASISED.

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HE SAID THAT "ONE COUNTRY, TWO SYSTEMS" REPRESENTED AN IMPORTANT POLITICAL REALITY. MAINTAINING A HIGH DEGREE OF AUTONOMY FOR HONG KONG WAS CRUCIAL TO THE CONTINUING PROSPERITY OF HONG KONG AND CRUCIAL IN ENSURING THAT HONG KONG COULD PLAY ITS PART IN CONTRIBUTING TO THE GROWING PROSPERITY OF THE MAINLAND.

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"THE NEED FOR CONTINUITY HAS BEEN IN THE FOREFRONT OF OUR MINDS SINCE THE SIGNING OF THE JOINT DECLARATION THREE YEARS AGO, SIR DAVID SAID.

"IT IS OUR GUIDING PRINCIPLE FOR THE TRANSITION PERIOD. CONTINUITY MEANS THAT THE ADMINISTRATION OF HONG KONG SHOULD BE CARRIED OUT IN ESSENTIALLY THE SAME WAY AS IT HAS BEEN IN THE PAST.

"IT DOES NOT MEAN THAT THERE SHOULD BE NO CHANGE; INDEED CHANGE IN THE STRUCTURE OF THE LEGISLATURE IS WRITTEN INTO THE JOINT DECLARATION ITSELF. BUT IT DOES MEAN A CONTINUITY OF THE ESSENTIALS OF OUR WAY OF LIFE AND OF THE WAY IN WHICH WE CONDUCT OUR OWN AFFAIRS,'

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SIR DAVID SAID OPINION POLLS WOULD SUGGEST THAT THE ISSUES THAT REALLY CONCERNED THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE HAD NOT CHANGED MUCH OVER THE PAST FIVE OR EVEN 10 YEARS. THESE WERE THE ECONOMY, SECURITY, SOCIAL SERVICES--HOUSING, MEDICAL CARE, EDUCATION AND SOCIAL WELFARE--AND TRAFFIC.

THE

THE

HE SAID IT WAS IMPORTANT ΤΟ REMEMBER THAT THESE WERE ISSUES THAT MOST PEOPLE CARED ABOUT, WORRIED ABOUT, AND LOOKED TO GOVERNMENT TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT. AND IN THESE AREAS HONG KONG COULD LOOK BACK WITH SOME SATISFACTION.

THE ECONOMY