XN000022-1992-05-28 — Page 2

THURSDAY, MAY 28, 1992

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GOVERNOR TO VISIT CHINA

* * * * *

THE GOVERNOR, LORD WILSON, WILL VISIT CHINA FROM JUNE 7 TO 12.

THIS WILL BE HIS FAREWELL VISIT TO CHINA AS GOVERNOR.

HE WILL BE ACCOMPANIED BY LADY WILSON, HIS PRIVATE SECRETARY AND THE POLITICAL ADVISER, MR WILLIAM EHRMAN.

LORD WILSON WILL HAVE A NUMBER OF MEETINGS WITH SENIOR CHINESE OFFICIALS ON JUNE 7 TO 9.

HE WILL THEN SPEND TWO DAYS TRAVELLING OUTSIDE BEIJING BEFORE RETURNING TO HONG KONG IN THE MORNING OF JUNE 12.

THE GOVERNOR LAST VISITED BEIJING IN SEPTEMBER LAST YEAR, FOR THE SIGNING CEREMONY OF THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING ON THE AIRPORT CORE PROGRAMME.

GARRISON COMMITTED TO HONG KONG, SAYS NEW COMMANDER

JOHN

THE NEW COMMANDER BRITISH FORCES HONG KONG, MAJOR GENERAL FOLEY, SEES NO BASIC CHANGE IN THE GARRISON'S ROLE OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS.

SPEAKING AT A LUNCHEON MEETING HOSTED BY THE BRITISH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE TODAY (THURSDAY), GENERAL FOLEY SAID THE HANDOVER OF MOST OF THE MILITARY BORDER DUTIES TO THE POLICE LAST MONTH WOULD RESULT IN THE WITHDRAWAL OF ONE BATTALION LATER THIS YEAR.

BUT THIS WOULD NOT AFFECT THE GARRISON'S MAIN ROLE OF PROVIDING "A VERY TANGIBLE DEMONSTRATION OF THE UNITED KINGDOM'S SOVEREIGNTY AND COMMITMENT IN THESE LAST YEARS OF BRITISH ADMINISTRATION".

"THEREBY I BELIEVE,

STABILITY AND PROSPERITY.

CONTRIBUTING

то HONG KONG'S SECURITY,

"IN ORDER TO FULFIL THAT ROLE, WE RETAIN THE ABILITY TO ASSIST THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT, IF AND WHEN NECESSARY, IN A FULL RANGE OF TASKS CONCERNED BOTH WITH TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY AND INTERNAL SECURITY, HE SAID.

THE GARRISON IS SUPPORT, INCLUDING BACK-UP, EXPLOSIVE

GENERAL FOLEY REMINDED HIS AUDIENCE THAT CAPABLE OF SUPPLYING A WIDE RANGE OF SPECIALIST SEARCH-AND-RESCUE, DIVING CAPABILITIES, MEDICAL AND ORDNANCE EXPERTISE, ENGINEERING SKILLS AND A FULL RANGE OF LOGISTIC SUPPORT CAPABLE OF DEALING WITH DISASTERS AND EMERGENCIES.

HE CONTINUED: "WE ARE PLAYING A NECESSARILY DISCREET, BUT FULL PART IN THE CURRENT ANTI-SMUGGLING EFFORT AGAINST AN ACTIVITY WHICH HAS NOT ONLY ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL IMPLICATIONS, BUT ALSO POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS POLITICAL RAMIFICATIONS."

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