XN000022-1992-11-27 — Page 6

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 1992

THE FIRST WILLING, THAT A HALF YEAR.

IT'S BEEN, I THINK, MY SIXTH VISIT TO JAPAN THOUGH I'VE MADE

AND I HOPE, GOD AS GOVERNOR OF HONG KONG, I'LL BE ABLB TO MAKE MANY MORE IN THE NEXT FOUR AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

QUESTION:

COMMITTER

MR PATTEN, WE WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THE FINANCE IS VOTING ON THE FUNDING FOR THE SITE PREPARATION FOR THE NEW AIRPORT. IF IT DOES NOT APPROVE THE FUNDING, WHAT KIND OF CONTINGENCY PLAN DOES THE GOVERNMENT HAVE?

GOVERNOR:

I'LL

ANSWER

QUESTIONS ABOUT

VOTES

THE IN

FINANCE TAKEN PLACE RATHER

COMMITTEE OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL AFTER THEY'VE THAN BEFORE.

QUESTION:

CAN YOU TELL US WHAT YOUR IMPRESSION IS OF THE LEVEL OF JAPANESE GOVERNMENT SUPPORT FOR YOUR PLAN FOR DEMOCRATIC REFORMS ?

GOVERNOR:

—

IS

THE

FOR

THE

I THINK THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT, LIKE OTHER GOVERNMENTS AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I SAID BEFORE I CAME TO JAPAN AND IT

I'LL SOMETHING THAT I'VE SAID IN JAPAN, AND I DARESAY IT IS SOMETHING SAY WHEN I'VE LEFT JAPAN I THINK THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT, LIKE OTHER GOVERNMENTS,

IMPLEMENTATION OF RECOGNISES THAT THE SUCCESSFUL JOINT DECLARATION IS A MATTER PRINCIPALLY FOR THE UNITED KINGDOM,

IT'S INTERESTED CHINA AND FOR HONG KONG, AND OBVIOUSLY SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE JOINT DECLARATION. IT,

IT'S MADE STATEMENTS IN THE PAST, AND DURING THIS TRAT IT SUPPORTS THE BROAD MOVES TOWARDS DEMOCRATISATION FRAMEWORK OF THE BASIC LAW. I WOULDN'T EXPECT IT TO SAY ANY MORE THAN THAT, AND WHAT I HAVE BEEN DELIGHTED WITH IS THE INTEREST IN WHAT HAPPENING

KONG

SUCCESSFUL HONG

AND THE CONCERNS IN PROSPEROUS FUTURE.

QUESTION:

FOR OUR

IN AS I UNDERSTAND VISIT, SAYING

WITHIN THE

15

AND

GOVERNOR, YOU'VE SAID THAT YOUR BIGGEST TASK NEXT YEAR KONG IF 19 TO PERSUADE WASHINGTON ABOUT THE HARMFUL EFFECTS ON HONG CHINA'S MFN IS REVOKED. WHAT WOULD BE YOUR EXACT STRATEGY, ASIDE FROM YOUR NATURAL CHARISMA?

FIRST OF

ALI

13

YOU I THINK I WOULD

FROM

THE TAKE GOVERNOR:

BUT I HOPE THAT I WOULD IMPORTANCE OF BEGINNING BY BEING FLATTERING.

SOMEBODY WHO WAS HAVE MORE CREDIBILITY IN PUTTING THE ARGUMENT AS

INTERESTS, WOULD PUT RECOGNISED TO STAND UP FOR HONG KONG'S BEST

IMPACT ON ARGUMENTS BOTH OF PRINCIPLE AND ARGUMENTS CONCERNING THE

FIRST OF ALL ON PRINCIPLE, HONG KONG OF THE POLITICISATION OF TRADE.

I BELIEVE THAT FREE TRADE I BELIEVE PASSIONATELY IN FREE TRADE. THE BEST WAY OF PROMOTING ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL PROGRESS, I BELIEVE THAT PROMOTE THE ECONOMIC FREE TRADE IS THE BEST WAY OF CONTINUING TO DEVELOPMENT AND OPENING UP OF CHINA, WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR HONG KONG, VERY IMPORTANT FOR THE REGION, AND VERY IMPORTANT FOR THE WORLD, IT IS ALWAYS, IN MY JUDGMENT, WRONG TO TRY TO POLITICISE TRADE AS THAT LEADS TO LOWER GROWTH, IT LEADS TO THROWING PEOPLE OUT OF WORK, AND IT LEADS TO HIGHER PRICES.

/I WOULD