XN000022-1994-11-17 — Page 9

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 1994

THE GOVERNOR HAD A TASTE OF SAN

FRANCISCO-STYLE

HONG KONG

CULTURE AS HE OFFICIATED AT "HONG KONG ON SAN FRANCISCO BAY", AN

ACROBATICS,

AFTERNOON OF HONG KONG EVENTS INCLUDING CHINESE DANCE AND DEMONSTRATIONS OF CHINESE CHOPMAKING, CALLIGRAPHY AND OTHER HONG KONG AND CHINESE CRAFTS.

ORGANISED BY THE HONG KONG TOURIST ASSOCIATION AND THE HONG KONG ECONOMIC AND TRADE OFFICE, THE AFTERNOON BEGAN WITH THE GOVERNOR DOTTING THE EYES OF A "LION" FOLLOWED BY AN ENERGETIC LION DANCE. IT ALSO FEATURED A DEMONSTRATION BY RENOWNED HONG KONG CHEF, MARTIN YAN.

EARLIER IN THE DAY, MR PATTEN HAD VISITED THE HONG KONG ECONOMIC AND TRADE OFFICE IN SAN FRANCISCO AND MET THE STAFF. HE THEN ADDRESSED AN AUDIENCE OF MORE THAN 600 AT A LUNCHEON MEETING

THE COMMONWEALTH CLUB CO-ORGANISED BY THE WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCIL OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA AND THE HONG KONG ASSOCIATION OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA.

AT A PRESS CONFERENCE FOLLOWING THE LUNCHEON, MR PATTEN SAID HIS IMPRESSION ON THIS VISIT WAS THAT PEOPLE IN THE UNITED STATES WERE BULLISH ABOUT HONG KONG.

"WHEN

I WAS HERE BEFORE, PEOPLE SOMETIMES USED TO EXPRESS THE WORRY THAT HAVING ANY SORT OF DISAGREEMENT WITH CHINA WOULD WRECK HONG KONG'S PROSPECTS OR HONG KONG'S ECONOMY.

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HE SAID SINCE THAT TIME HONG KONG HAD SHOWN IT CAN STAND UP FOR ITS AUTONOMY WITHOUT DAMAGING ITS ECONOMY.

י

"ARGUABLY, WE HAVE STRENGTHENED THE ECONOMY, MR PATTEN SAID.

'THERE IS, I THINK, A LOT OF CONFIDENCE ABOUT OUR ABILITY TO GO THROUGH 1997 SUCCESSFULLY.

**

MR PATTEN SAID THE CLOSER HONG KONG GOT TO JUNE 30, 1997, THE PEOPLE WERE GOING TO LOOK TO CHINESE OFFICIALS то GIVE REASSURANCE ABOUT THE FUTURE.

MOST

"I CAN GO ON PREDICTING SUCCESS, BUT IT'S FOR CHINESE OFFICIALS TO SAY WHAT THEY ARE PREPARED TO DO TO GUARANTEE SUCCESS.

H

THE GOVERNOR SPENDS THE MORNING AND AFTERNOON IN SAN FRANCISCO ON THURSDAY AND THEN TRAVELS TO SEATTLE FOR THE FINAL STOP ON HIS WEST COAST VISIT.

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