XN000022-1995-06-21 — Page 5

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Question: But your point that you doesn't seem to be very popular within Chinese leadership though.

Governor: I very much hope that between now and 1997 the Chinese leadership will understand the importance of trusting the people of Hong Kong. When 1997 comes, its not just a question of the sovereignty over a piece of real estate. I hope Chinese leaders will understand as well that its a matter of hearts and minds and the best way of winning the hearts and minds of the people of Hong Kong is by showing that you trust them not least that you the judgements they make in free and fair elections.

Question: Do you have any comments to make on the employment situation in the light of the San Miguel redundancies?

Governor: I don't think that one commercial decision should distract us from what we are attempting to do on unemployment. Unemployment now stands at about 2.9 per cent as you know. By standards outside Hong Kong, that would be regarded as pretty low. But in Hong Kong, its a problem because we are used to so much lower unemployment figures. What we have to do in Hong Kong is first of all to develop our training and retraining, to develop our job placement programme which I was seeing some examples of the other day during one of my visits. And, as you know we are reviewing the Labour Importation Scheme. We'll, I hope be in a position to make announcements about that in the early autumn. But I don't think one commercial decision changes any of those fundamentals. The most important fundamental as far as Hong Kong is concerned is that we have an underlying strong economy and that's going to continue.

Question: Mr Patten, when do you expect to see the signing of an agreement with Vietnam, we have a concerned group warning of a possible, of another exodus if there is a delay in signing of such an agreement?

Governor: Well, there is an agreement which was made recently at Geneva. And under that agreement, it should be possible for us to continue I hope at a more rapid rate, the mandatory repatriation scheme, the orderly repatriation scheme alongside the voluntary repatriation scheme. I think people recognise that to some extent the orderly repatriation scheme is necessary in order to speed up voluntary repatriation. In accomplishing that objective, we've had some difficulties recently not least because of the unfortunate and misleading messages which have been sent to some Vietnamese migrants in the camps by speeches and decisions made in the US Congress. I recognise the US administration has been keen to put the position straight. I very much hope that we can, despite the recent problems, speed up the repatriation programme as soon as possible and I hope that Vietnamese migrants in the camps will recognise that their future lies in Vietnam where the economy is increasingly successful rather than in institution life in the camps.