XN000022-1994-02-18 — Page 2

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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 1994

GOVERNOR CONCLUDES AUSTRALIAN VISIT

THE

GOVERNOR, THE RT HON CHRISTOPHER PATTEN, TODAY (FRIDAY) CONCLUDED WHAT HE DESCRIBED AS A "VERY SUCCESSFUL' FIRST OFFICIAL VISIT TO AUSTRALIA.

SPEAKING AT THE END OF THE SIX-DAY VISIT, DURING WHICH HE WAS THE GUEST OF THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT, MR PATTEN SAID HE HAD NO DOUBT THAT IT HAD BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN BROADENING AND DEEPENING THE KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING ABOUT HONG KONG AND ITS FUTURE AT ALL LEVELS OF

AUSTRALIAN SOCIETY.

HE EMPHASISED THAT THERE WERE TWO OBJECTIVES TO THE VISIT.

THE FIRST WAS TO ENCOURAGE MORE AUSTRALIAN FIRMS TO USE HONG KONG AS A JUMPING-OFF BASE FOR CHINA AND THE REGION. THE SECOND WAS TO REASSURE AUSTRALIAN BUSINESS OF THE GOVERNMENT'S DETERMINATION TO ENSURE THE RULE OF LAW IN HONG KONG.

"I WAS DELIGHTED BY THE ENTHUSIASTIC RESPONSE TO AND UNDERSTANDING OF THESE MESSAGES THROUGHOUT THE WEEK, TI MR PATTEN SAID.

"THERE WAS TREMENDOUS INTEREST AND THIS WAS REFLECTED IN THE PACKED HOUSES AT BACH OF THE SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS AND FROM THE WIDE RANGE OF PEOPLE WITH WHOM I DISCUSSED THE ISSUES AT MY OTHER MEETINGS," HE ADDED.

J

DURING THE VISIT, MR PATTEN MADE FOUR MAJOR SPEECHES TO THE ASIA-AUSTRALIA INSTITUTE AND THE HONG KONG AUSTRALIA BUSINESS ASSOCIATION IN SYDNEY, THE NATIONAL PRESS CLUB IN CANBERRA, AND THE COMMITTEE FOR THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF AUSTRALIA IN MELBOURNE.

HE VISITED A NUMBER OF HIGH-TECH FIRMS WITH SIGNIFICANT KONG INTERESTS AND GAVE A SERIES OF MEDIA INTERVIEWS.

HONG

HE ALSO HAD MEETINGS WITH THE PRIME MINISTER, MR PAUL KEATING, THE FOREIGN MINISTER, SENATOR GARETH EVANS, OPPOSITION LEADERS AND STATE GOVERNMENT LEADERS IN NEW SOUTH WALES AND VICTORIA.

IN CANBERRA THE GOVERNOR ALSO HAD A MEETING WITH THE JOINT STANDING COMMITTEE AND THE SENATE STANDING COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS, DEFENCE AND TRADE.

TO "WIN

MR PATTEN SAID WHILE HE HAD NOT COME TO AUSTRALIA SUPPORT" FOR THE GOVERNMENT'S POLITICAL REFORM PROPOSALS, HE WAS GRATEFUL FOR THE UNDERSTANDING SHOWN BY THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT AND ALL POLITICAL PARTIES.

HE NOTED THAT EVERY AUSTRALIAN NEWSPAPER THAT HAD CARRIED EDITORIALS ON HONG KONG HAD BEEN SUPPORTIVE OF THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT POSITION.

IN MELBOURNE THIS MORNING, MR PATTEN VISITED DATACRAFT LTD, A LEADING SUPPLIER OF COMMUNICATIONS AND EQUIPMENT WHICH USES HONG KONG AS THE BASE FOR ITS SIGNIFICANT OPERATIONS IN THE REGION.

/AFTER TOURING