XN000022-1988-07-01 — Page 5

I

FRIDAY, JULY 1, 1988

BRITISH AND WE

THAT

IT IS THE JOINT RESPONSIBILITY OF THE CHINESE AND SIDES TO IMPLEMENT THE JOINT DECLARATION FULLY AND FAITHFULLY ARE FULLY AWARE OF THE HEAVY DUTIES ON OUR SHOULDERS. IN THE YEARS AHEAD, WE WILL CERTAINLY HAVE A GREAT DEAL OF WORK TO DO AND MAY ALSO HAVE TO HANDLE PROBLEMS OF ONE KIND OR ANOTHER. WE ARE CONFIDENT SO LONG AS OUR TWO SIDES WORK TOGETHER AS WE DID IN THE PAST IN SPIRIT OF FRIENDSHIP AND CO-OPERATION, TREAT EACH OTHER IN SINCERITY AND UNDERSTAND EACH OTHER, WE WILL UNDOUBTEDLY FIND APPROPRIATE SOLUTIONS TO ALL THE PROBLEMS BEFORE US.

BE

THE

ALL

ABLE TO

AND WE

AT PRESENT, THE GENERAL SITUATION OF HONG KONG IS GOOD ARE ALWAYS OPTIMISTIC ABOUT ITS FUTURE. NEVERTHELESS, THIS DOES NOT MEAN THAT THERE WILL BE NO DIFFICULTIES ALONG THE WAY AHEAD. CHINESE LEADERS HAVE STATED ON REPEATED OCCASIONS THAT THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT STANDS FIRM IN IMPLEMENTING THE PRINCIPLE OF "ONE COUNTRY, TWO SYSTEMS" AND THIS PRINCIPLE WILL NOT CHANGE IN ANY CIRCUMSTANCES. IT IS WITH THIS IN MIND THAT WE ON THE CHINESE SIDE HAVE BEEN CONDUCTING THE JLG WORK. WE SHALL WORK HARD TOGETHER WITH OUR BRITISH COLLEAGUES FOR THE STABILITY AND PROSPERITY OF HONG KONG.

NOW, I WISH TO PROPOSE A TOAST:

TO THE CONTINUED PROGRESS AND SUCCESS OF JLG;

THE WORK OF THE

TO THE CONTINUED DEVELOPMENT OF THE FRIENDLY RELATIONS AND CO-OPERATION BETWEEN CHINA AND BRITAIN;

TO THE STABILITY AND PROSPERITY OF HONG KONG; AND

TO THE HEALTH AND GOOD LUCK OF HIS EXCELLENCY SIR DAVID WILSON AND ALL THE OTHER DISTINGUISHED GUESTS PRESENT.

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WORKING METHODS OF JLG OFFICE DISCUSSED

KONG

THE FUTURE WORKING METHODS TO BE ADOPTED BY THE HONG OFFICE OF THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP WERE DISCUSSED TODAY (FRIDAY) MEETING BETWEEN REPRESENTATIVES OF BOTH THE BRITISH AND CHINESE TEAMS.

AT A

HAS

SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AFTER THE MEETING, THE SENIOR REPRESENTATIVE OF THE BRITISH TEAM, MR ROBIN MCLAREN, SAID: "THIS NOT BEEN A FORMAL JLG MEETING AS YOU KNOW, IT HAS BEEN A MEETING OF THE TWO SENIOR REPRESENTATIVES WHO HAVE MET IN ORDER ΤΟ MARK THIS VERY SPECIAL OCCASION WHEN THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP IS TAKING HONG KONG AS ITS PRINCIPAL BASE.

"WE'VE TAKEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW SOME OF THE BUSINESS THAT IS GOING ON BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES, IN VARIOUS CONTACTS AND IN VARIOUS EXPERT GROUPS SINCE OUR LAST FULL MEETING OF THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP."

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