XN000022-1989-11-01 — Page 16

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 1989

FURTHER, THE FREEDOM OF THOUGHT AND EXPRESSION PLAYED A VITAL ROLE IN OUR SUCCESSFUL ECONOMY. FOR SUCCESS IN BUSINESS DEPENDED ON NEW IDEAS. BUT THERE COULD BE NO NEW IDEAS WITHOUT A COMPLETELY FREE ENVIRONMENT WHERE THE FREEDOM OF THOUGHT COULD FLOURISH.

HE SAID THAT AFTER THE JUNE 4 MASSACRE AND THE SUBSEQUENT CRACKDOWN WHICH WAS CONTINUING UNABATED IN CHINA, CONFIDENCE

IN HONG KONG WAS AT ITS LOWEST.

THE RESTORATION OF CONFIDENCE MUST THEREFORE BE THE IMMEDIATE OBJECTIVE OF THE BRITISH, CHINESE AND HONG KONG GOVERNMENTS.

MR LEE SAID THERE SEEMED TO HAVE BEEN AN ENCOURAGING CHANGE OF POLICY IN BRITAIN RECENTLY, FOR IT SEEMED THAT THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT WOULD NO LONGER ALLOW THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT TO LEAD IT BY THE NOSE OVER HONG KONG.

AND IT HAD SHOWN A READINESS TO MAKE DECISIONS IN THE INTEREST OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG, SOMETIMES EVEN TO THE EXTENT OF OFFENDING THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT. BUT MUCH STILL REMAINED ΤΟ BE DONE BY THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT.

AS FOR THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT, IT HAD DECIDED TO LAUNCH HONG KONG FORWARD INTO THE 21ST CENTURY IN A VERY BOLD AND AMBITIOUS PROGRAMME DISCLOSED IN THE GOVERNOR'S POLICY SPEECH.

BUT THESE AMBITIOUS PROJECTS

WOULD NOT SUCCEED WITHOUT THE

FULLEST CO-OPERATION OF CHINA. AND IT WAS PERTINENT то REFER ΤΟ CLAUSE 4 OF THE JOINT DECLARATION WHICH CAST ON THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT THE RESPONSIBILITY OF ADMINISTERING HONG KONG UNTIL JUNE 30, 1997 "WITH THE OBJECTIVE OF MAINTAINING AND PRESERVING ITS ECONOMIC PROSPERITY AND SOCIAL STABILITY; AND ..... THE GOVERNMENT THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA WILL GIVE ITS CO-OPERATION IN CONNECTION.

IT

OF

THIS

"BUT WHAT HAS THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT DONE?" HE QUESTIONED.

IT APPEARED THAT CHINA HAD GIVEN UP ALL EFFORTS ΤΟ WIN BACK THE CONFIDENCE OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG AND HAD RESORTED INSTEAD TO INTIMIDATION.

HE SAID THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT HAD BEEN EXERTING GREAT PRESSURE ON THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT TO DISSOLVE THE HONG KONG ALLIANCE, THEREBY SEEKING POSITIVELY ΤΟ INTERFERE IN THE INTERNAL AFFAIRS OF HONG KONG, AND IN CLEAR BREACH OF CLAUSE 4 OF THE JOINT DECLARATION.

THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT HAD ALSO ACCUSED THE HONG KONG ALLIANCE AND ITS LEADERS OF HAVING ADOPTED AN "ANTAGONISTIC STAND AGAINST THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT".

BUT WHAT THE HONG KONG ALLIANCE EXERCISE THE FREEDROM OF EXPRESSION, WHICH WAS A IN THE CHINESE CONSTITUTION, HE SAID.

HAD DONE SO

RIGHT

FAR WAS то PROVIDED FOR-

/HE ADDED