XN000022-1991-05-24 — Page 2

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FRIDAY, MAY 24, 1991

HK AND CANADA HAVE A STAKE IN EACH OTHER'S FUTURE: GOVERNOR

HONG KONG AND CANADA EACH HAVE A STAKE IN THE OTHER'S THE GOVERNOR, SIR DAVID WILSON SAID THIS EVENING (FRIDAY).

FUTURE,

SPEAKING AT A DINNER IN HONOUR OF THE CANADIAN PRIME MINISTER, MR BRIAN MULRONEY, AT THE GOVERNMENT HOUSE, SIR DAVID SAID ALTHOUGH HONG KONG WAS SMALL IN COMPARISON TO CANADA, BACH HAD MUCH ΤΟ OFFER THE OTHER IN THE EXCHANGE OF CULTURE AND IDEAS AND IN STRONG, HEALTHY COMMERCIAL RELATIONS.

"THERE

COULD BE NO STRONGER BASIS UPON WHICH TO BUILD A MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL AND ENDURING RELATIONSHIP," HE SAID.

WARM,

WELCOMING THE PRIME MINISTER TO HONG KONG, THE GOVERNOR SAID HE WAS HONOURED TO BE INVITED BY MR MULRONEY TO VISIT CANADA A YEAR AGO AS A GUEST OF THE CANADIAN GOVERNMENT, AND HE HAD GREAT PLEASURE TO BE ABLE TO RETURN THAT COMPLIMENT.

P

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HONG KONG IS HONOURED AND PROUD WELCOME YOU," THE GOVERNOR SAID,

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THAT YOU HAVE

COME.

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SPEAKING ON THE LINKS WHICH BOUND THE PEOPLE IN HONG KONG AND CANADA IN THE PAST AND PRESENT, SIR DAVID SAID, FAMILY TIES HAD STRENGTHENED THESE BONDS.

MIGRATION FROM HONG KONG ACROSS THE PACIFIC WAS NOT NEW BUT THERE WERE NOW NEW EMIGRE HONG KONG COMMUNITIES IN CITIES SUCH AS TORONTO AND VANCOUVER WHICH HAD ENRICHED THE FABRIC OF CANADA'S ALREADY VARIED CULTURE, SIR DAVID SAID.

"THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THESE NEW COMMUNITIES HAS ALSO CREATED A WEALTH OF NEW COMMERCIAL LINKS. THESE BENEFIT US BOTH. THEY CREATE A SENSE OF PRACTICAL PARTNERSHIP," THE GOVERNOR SAID.

SIR DAVID POINTED OUT THAT THE CANADIAN GOVERNMENT HAD TAKEN ACCOUNT OF HONG KONG'S NEEDS IN THE BEST POSSIBLE WAY

THROUGH PRACTICAL ARRANGEMENTS TO DEVELOP THE GROWTH OF TRADE, COMMERCE AND INVESTMENT.

AND, IN A VERY PRACTICAL WAY, CANADA WAS HELPING TO BUILD THE FOUNDATIONS FOR A SUCCESSFUL FUTURE FOR HONG KONG AND HE CITED THE FOLLOWING EXAMPLES:

THE AIR SERVICES AGREEMENT SIGNED IN 1988;

CO-OPERATION IN THE FIGHT AGAINST DRUGS;

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AND THE ARRANGEMENTS NOW ALMOST COMPLETED FOR THE OPENING OF A HONG KONG BCONOMIC AND TRADE OFFICE IN TORONTO LATER THIS YEAR.

SIR DAVID SAID THE CANADIAN BUSINESS PRESENCE IN HONG KONG WAS STRONG AND WELL-LIKED AND ITS MEMBERS PLAYED AN ACTIVE PART IN COMMUNITY LIFE.

/"WE WELCOME