XN000022-1988-05-30 — Page 2

MONDAY, MAY 30, 1988

FOREIGN SECRETARY REAFFIRMS BRITAIN'S COMMITMENT TO HK

THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS, SIR GEOFFREY HOWE, TODAY (MONDAY) REITERATED THAT BRITAIN'S COMMITMENT TO HONG KONG AND ITS FUTURE IS FIRM AND UNSHAKEABLE.

"WE HAVE UPHELD AND WILL UPHOLD OUR OBLIGATIONS TO HONG KONG, SIR GEOFFREY SAID IN A LUNCH SPEECH TO COMMUNITY LEADERS.

"

THE BRITISH COMMITMENT CAME FROM THE PRIME MINISTER AND COLLEAGUES, HE SAID, ADDING THAT "WE HAVE A DEEP SENSE OF RESPONSIBILITY TO HONG KONG AND ITS PEOPLE.

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HE POINTED OUT THAT HE HIMSELF HAD HAD SEVEN MEETINGS IN THE LAST TWO YEARS WITH CHINA'S FOREIGN MINISTER, MR WU XUEQIAN, NOW A VICE PREMIER. "HONG KONG HAS BEEN AT THE HEART OF THOSE DISCUSSIONS," HE SAID.

SIR GEOFFREY THEN SAID: "SO LET ME ONCE AND FOR ALL DISPOSE OF THE MYTH THAT BRITAIN EVER HAS OR EVER WOULD SACRIFICE HONG KONG'S INTERESTS IN THE PURSUIT OF BETTER SINO-BRITISH RELATIONS.

"THAT IS HOGWASH. EVEN IF WE WERE DAFT ENOUGH TO THINK THERE WAS ANY BENEFIT IN DOING SO, IT WOULD NOT BE WITHIN OUR POWER. NOTHING WOULD DESTROY SINO-BRITISH RELATIONS FASTER THAN A FAILURE OF OUR JOINT ENTERPRISE IN HONG KONG. AND DON'T FORGET THAT OUR OWN ECONOMIC INTERESTS IN HONG KONG ARE IMMENSE.

"AND THE SAME IS TRUE OF CHINA. THEIR ECONOMIC INTEREST IN HONG KONG'S SUCCESS IS EVEN LARGER THAN OURS.

"QUITE APART FROM THAT, THEY HAVE THE OVERWHELMING INCENTIVE OF PROVING THAT DENG XIAOPING'S INSIGHT, ONE COUNTRY TWO SYSTEMS, CAN BE MADE A REALITY. THE ACHIEVEMENT OF THAT REALITY IS FUNDAMENTAL TO DEEPLY FELT CHINESE ASPIRATIONS FOR NATIONAL UNITY.

"SO HOWEVER YOU LOOK AT IT, BRITAIN AND CHINA HAVE THE STRONGEST INTEREST IN WORKING FOR HONG KONG'S SUCCESS. THIS COMMON INTEREST HAS BROUGHT US TOGETHER IN A CLOSE PARTNERSHIP.

"HONG KONG HAS BEEN THE CATALYST OF THIS RELATIONSHIP AND ITS CHIEF BENEFICIARY. THERE IS EVERY REASON FOR CONFIDENCE THAT HONG KONG CAN IN THE YEARS AHEAD RETAIN AND CONTINUE ITS KEY ROLE IN THE FASTEST GROWING REGION OF THE WORLD.'

L

IN HIS SPEECH TO THE LUNCH GATHERING, WHICH WAS HOSTED BY THE FUTURE CHIEF SECRETARY, SIR DAVID FORD, SIR GEOFFREY SAID HONG KONG'S WAS COMING TOGETHER REMARKABLY WELL UNIQUENESS OF THE TASK.

CONSIDERING

THE

MAGNITUDE AND

/HE SAID