XN000022-1993-09-15 — Page 2

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 1993

HK INVOLVES IN REVOLUTION OF THE CENTURY: GOVERNOR

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HONG KONG CONTRIBUTES AND BENEFITS FROM THE OPENING UP OF CHINA'S ECONOMY

ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT REVOLUTIONS OF THIS CENTURY, THE GOVERNOR, THE RT HON CHRISTOPHER PATTEN, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

ADDRESSING THE OPENING OF THE PENSIONS 2000 CONFERENCE, MR PATTEN SAID IT HAD BEEN AN OPENING-UP IN TWO SENSES.

FIRST, CHINA IS JOINING THE GLOBAL ECONOMY AND OPENING UP ITS HUGE MARKET OF 1.2 BILLION TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD.

SECOND, CHINA IS OPENING UP IN THE SENSE THAT IT IS EMBRACING MARKET ECONOMICS AND FREE ENTERPRISE.

*WE ARE HELPING TO SOW THE SEEDS OF CHANGE IN CHINA AND WE'RE CERTAINLY REAPING THE BENEFIT, THE GOVERNOR SAID.

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HE BELIEVED THAT THE FUTURE FOR CHINA AND HONG KONG SHOULD BE EXTREMELY BRIGHT,

"WE IN HONG KONG WILL DO OUR BEST TO MAKE IT BRIGHT BY HOLDING ON то WHAT I BELIEVE IS OUR WINNING FORMULA

MARKET ECONOMICS PRACTISED WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE RULE OF LAW.

IT

SAID.

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HAS BEEN AN UNBEATABLE COMBINATION HERE AND ELSEWHERE, HE

"IT'S A COMBINATION WHICH PROMISES A PROSPEROUS, A STABLE AND A FREE FUTURE FOR THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG.

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HE SAID BRITAIN WAS SOLEMNLY COMMITTED TO ITS IMPLEMENTATION OF THE JOINT DECLARATION WHICH GUARANTEED HONG KONG'S WAY OF LIFE FOR 50 YEARS AFTER 1997.

HE SAID NEITHER HE NOR THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT WAS PROPOSING THE SORT OF DEMOCRACY WHICH MOST COMMUNITIES AS SOPHISTICATED AS HONG KONG TOOK FOR GRANTED.

"NOR ARE WE TALKING ABOUT SPEEDING UP THE ALREADY AGREED PACE OF DEMOCRATISATION.

**WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, WHAT WE'RE DISCUSSING, WHAT WE'RE ARGUING ABOUT, IS MAKING THE EXISTING AGREED PROCESS OF GRADUAL DEMOCRATISATION CREDIBLE.

EVEN

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MR PATTEN SAID HE WAS DETERMINED THAT THE FINAL ELECTIONS HERE UNDER BRITISH SOVEREIGNTY SHOULD RE CLEAN ELECTIONS, NOT RIG ELECTIONS.

"THAT MEANS THAT WE NEED ARRANGEMENTS FOR THOSE ELECTIONS WHICH ARE FAIR, WHICH ARE OPEN AND WHICH ARE ACCEPTABLE TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG, HE SAID.

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