XN000022-1994-10-13 — Page 6

THURSLAY, OCTOBER 13, 1994

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THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT'S FULL COMMITMENT IS TOWARDS THE FAITHFUL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE JOINT DECLARATION. ITS TASKS FOR THE 993 DAYS THAT REMAIN BEFORE SOVEREIGNTY REVERSED TO CHINA IS ΤΟ ENSURE THAT EVERYTHING IS IN PLACE THAT THE TRANSITIONAL ISSUES ARE SORTED OUT WITH THE CHINESE SO THAT, AS I SAID EARLIER, THE SAR GOVERNMENT CAN ENJOY HIGH DEGREE OF AUTONOMY AFTER 1997. AND THE BRITISH AND

AND THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT CLEARLY SEE THAT UNDERPINNING ORDERS, IT IS CRUCIALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE MAINTAIN A LEGISLATURE THAT IS OPENLY AND FAIRLY ENACTED, BECAUSE IT IS ONLY IN THAT WAY THAT WE CAN ENSURE THAT WE CONTINUE то HAVE AN INDEPENDENT JUDICIARY, THAT WE CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD, AND THAT WE HAVE A HIGHLY EFFICIENT AND CORRUPTION FREE CIVIL SERVICE. AND LET ME STRESS AGAIN, BOTH THE BRITISH AND HONG KONG GOVERNMENTS ARE FULLY COMMITTED TO THAT, IT IS VERY UNFORTUNATE THAT WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO MEET AGREEMENT WITH THE CHINESE ON THE CONSTITUTIONAL REFORMS, BUT ALL THAT IS BEHIND US, WE WISH TO DRAW A LINE UNDER THAT. WE WISH AND ARE VERY SINCERE IN THE PROPOSALS THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAS PUT FORWARD IN THIS OCTOBER ADDRESS TO THE LEGISLATURE ABOUT THE PRACTICAL WAYS IN WHICH WE CAN CO-OPERATE WITH CHINESE то RESOLVE THE MANY TRANSITIONAL ISSUES THAT STILL NEED TO BE DISCUSSED. THESE PROPOSALS HAVE BEEN PUT FORWARD. THEY ARE PROPOSALS, WE WOULD BE VERY HAPPY TO HEAR FROM THE CHINESE WHAT THEY THINK ABOUT THESE PROPOSALS OR INDEED TO HEAR ALTERNATIVE PROPOSALS FROM THE CHINESE, BUT I STRESS AGAIN, IT IS IMPORTANT THAT BOTH SIDES SIT DOWN, TALK ABOUT ISSUES AND INTENSIFY CO-OPERATION.

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ADVISE TO CANADIAN BUSINESSES)

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WELL, I AM IN THE VERY HAPPY POSITION OF BEING ABLE TO, FIRST ALL, EXPRESS APPRECIATION FOR CANADA'S FRIENDSHIP AND SUPPORT ALL THESE YEARS. TO SAY HOW MUCH WE APPRECIATE THE CONTINUING INTEREST THAT YOUR GOVERNMENT AND BUSINESS PEOPLE HAVE TO HONG KONG AND IN PARTICULAR, YOUR INTEREST ENSURING, AS J SAID EARLIER, THAT OUR CURRENT WAY OF LIFE, OUR SYSTEMS CONTINUED AFTER 1997, BECAUSE THAT'S THE BEST GUARANTEE FOR HONG KONG, IF YOU HAVE A CROSS REFERENCE IN HONG KONG, THERE WILL BE MORE AND MORE BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE FROM YOUR COUNTRY, FROM OTHER COUNTRIES TO HAVE IN HONG KONG. AND AS I SAID ALSO, WE BELIEVE THAT THE PROSPEROUS AND STABLE HONG KONG, A PROSPEROUS AND STABLE CHINA WOULD BE GOOD FOR THE ENTIRE WORLD AND FOR EVERY INVESTORS AND CLEARLY, THE ASIA PACIFIC REGION, INCLUDING CHINA, HONG KONG AND OTHER COUNTRIES ARE GOING TO BE THE AREA OF FASTEST GROWTH IN THE NEXT DECADE. SO I WOULD SUGGEST THAT CANADIANS CANNOT AFFORD TO LET THIS OPPORTUNITY GO BY. THANK YOU,

WELL, OBVIOUSLY WE WISH TO SEE AN INTENSIFICATION OF OUR TIES WITH CANADA THEY ARE ALREADY VERY CONSIDERABLE. IF YOU LOOK AT OUR TRADE TIES, TRADE HAS BEEN GROWING VERY RAPIDLY, AIR TIES, FOR

CENT EXAMPLE, ALSO HAS BEEN GROWING, FOR EXAMPLE, AT 10 PER EVERY YEAR, AND IN RECENT YEARS, WE CLEARLY HAVE A LOT OF OUR PEOPLE WHO HAVE DECIDED THAT THEY WOULD PREFER TO EMIGRATE AND LIVE IN CANADA AND OF COURSE, FROM OUR POINT OF VIEW, WE WOULD RATHER NOT LOSE THESE PEOPLE, PARTICULARLY THE SKILLED PEOPLE. BUT IF WE DO HAVE TO LOSE THEM, THEN AS I SAID TO YOUR MINISTER ALL TODAY, I CAN'T THINK OF A BETTER COUNTRY THAN CANADA, AND WE SEE THAT A QUITE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE EMIGRATED, WHO HAVE DECIDED TO COME BACK TO WORK IN HONG KONG, AND THINK THAT'S GOOD FOR BOTH OUR COUNTRY AND FOR CANADA.- TRADE HAS BEEN EXPANDING VERY, VERY FAST.

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