XN000022-1992-07-22 — Page 4

WEDNESDAY, JULY 22, 1992

GOVT RESPONSES TO CHEN ZUO'ER'S STATEMENT

THE

MR CHEN

IN ANSWER TO QUESTIONS ON THE STATEMENT BY THE DIRECTOR OF FIRST DEPARTMENT OF THE HONG KONG AND MACAU AFFAIRS OFFICE, ZUO'ER, A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY 1:

"AS THE GOVERNOR SAID YESTERDAY, NO ONE DOUBTS THAT THE AIRPORT AND ASSOCIATED PROJECTS ARE NEEDED AND WILL BE BUILT. THEIR COMPLETION IS PROFOUNDLY IN THE INTERESTS OF HONG KONG, CHINA AND THE REGION.

"WE ARE CONFIDENT THAT WHEN THE AIRPORT QUESTION IS TACKLED ITS MERITS WE WILL BE ABLE TO REACH A SOLUTION.

ON

"WE HOPE THIS CAN HAPPEN AT THE NEXT AIRPORT COMMITTEE MEETING. WE SHARE THE VIEW OF CHINESE OFFICIALS THAT MEGAPHONE DIPLOMACY IS NOT THE BEST WAY OF ACHIEVING THIS.

ENTIRELY OPEN

ABOUT THE PROPOSED

FINANCING

"WE HAVE BEEN ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE AIRPORT AUTHORITY AND THE AIRPORT RAILWAY,

"THESE HAVE BEEN MADE AVAILABLE BOTH TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL AD HOC GROUP AND TO THE AIRPORT CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE."

STI COMMENTS ON HOUSE VOTING

CHINA'S

BY A VOTE OF 258 ΤΟ 135, THE US HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

THE SOLOMON JOINT RESOLUTION OF DISAPPROVAL OF MOST-FAVOURED-NATION (MFN) STATUS ON JULY 21, 1992.

PASSED

IT ALSO PASSED THE PEASE/PELOSI CONDITIONALITY BILL BY A VOTE OF 339 TO 62.

COMMENTING ON THE VOTES, THE SECRETARY FOR TRADE AND INDUSTRY, MR T.H. CHAU, SAID PASSAGE OF THE JOINT RESOLUTION OF DISAPPROVAL AND THE CONDITIONALITY BILL THROUGH THE HOUSE WAS EXPECTED. THERE WAS NO NEED TO BE UNDULY ALARMED AT THIS STAGE.

OF

'THE VOTE ON THE JOINT RESOLUTION OF DISAPPROVAL FELL SHORT THE TWO-THIRD MAJORITY WHICH IS REQUIRED TO OVERRIDE A PRESIDENTIAL VETO.

BILL

"AND ALTHOUGH THE PEASE/PELOSI BILL WAS PASSED BY A GREATER THAN TWO-THIRD MAJORITY, ACTION HAS YET TO BE TAKEN ON A SIMILAR IN THE SENATE, MR CHAU SAID.

++

PRESIDENT BUSH IS EXPECTED TO VETO THE JOINT RESOLUTION OF DISAPPROVAL AND ANY LEGISLATION WHICH ATTACHES CONDITIONS TO THE EXTENSION OF CHINA'S MFN STATUS.

THE ANTICIPATED VETO OVERRIDE ATTEMPT IS LIKELY TO TAKE PLACE SOME TIME BEFORE THE U.S. CONGRESS ADJOURNS IN OCTOBER.

/"BOTH THE