XN000022-1993-05-05 — Page 9

WEDNESDAY, MAY 5, 1993

A LAST REPETITION: THE U.S. IS IN THE THROES OF MAKING UP ITS MIND ABOUT MFN AND TRADE POLICY WITH CHINA. I STRONGLY SUSPECT THAT IT WOULD LIKE TO ARRIVE AT A POLICY WHICH FIRST OF ALL HAD THE MAXIMUM SUPPORT IN CONGRESS AND DID NOT INVOLVE A A FIGHT BETWEEN THE ADMINISTRATION AND CONGRESS, AND SECONDLY, WHICH MEANT THAT THE DEBATE ABOUT MFN EACH YEAR DIDN'T BECOME THE CENTERPIECE OF AMERICA'S POLICY TOWARDS CHINA.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE PARTICULARLY WISE OR PERCEPTIVE TO REACH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT IT'S UNLIKELY THAT THE POLICY THAT AMERICA ADOPTS WILL PROBABLY BE SOMEWHAT DIFFERENT FROM THE POLICY ADOPTED BY A REPUBLICAN ADMINISTRATION. BUT I WANT THAT POLICY TO RECOGNISE HONG KONG'S INTEREST, WHATEVER IT IS AT THE END OF THE DAY.

IT'S NOT FOR ME TO COME HERE, AS THE NCNA WOULD TELL YOU, AS A SPOKESMAN FOR CHINA. IT'S NOT FOR ME TO COME AND LECTURE AMERICANS ON WHAT THE IMPACT WOULD BE ON THE AMERICAN ECONOMY IF THINGS WENT WRONG IN ITS TRADE RELATIONSHIP WITH CHINA. THAT'S, I'M SURE, WHAT A NUMBER OF AMERICAN SENATORS AND REPRESENTATIVES WILL BE SAYING.

IT IS FOR ME TO SAY WHAT THE IMPACT WOULD BE ON THE TENTH LARGEST TRADING COMMUNITY IN THE WORLD, WHAT THE IMPACT WOULD BE ON HONG KONG. AND THAT, I HAVE BEEN DOING. AND THAT, I SHALL DO HERE AND ELSEWHERE IN THE FUTURE. THAT'S NOT INTERNATIONALISING HONG KONG, THAT'S STANDING UP FOR HONG KONG AND THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG AND THE COMMERCIAL INTERESTS OF HONG KONG.

QUESTION: WILL YOU BE HERE NEXT APRIL AND MAY, SIR, AGAIN ARGUING THIS, AS

AS YOU INDICATED, PERHAPS THE GOVERNOR AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF THE SAR WILL BE HERE EVER APRIL AND MAY?

GOVERNOR: I THINK ALL OF US LOOK FORWARD TO THE TIME WHEN WHATEVER THE OTHER REASONS FOR RETURNING TO WASHINGTON IN THE

SPRING, NOT BEING ON MEN ISN'T ONE OF THEM. BUT SO LONG AS MFN LOOMS LARGE IN OUR CONCERNS, THIS GOVERNOR AND FUTURE CHIEF EXECUTIVES WILL, IN MY JUDGMENT, BE HERE ENJOYING THE SUNSHINE AND THE BLOSSOMS AND THE RAIN AND THE SIGHTS.

AND YESTERDAY, I ENJOYED MEETING AT THE AWAKENING STATUTE A LARGE DELEGATION FROM THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, INDEED.

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