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Mr Rifkind: I think all the arguments in a sense point in the same direction, that it is highly beneficial for the Preparatory Committee's links with Hong Kong, at this stage and from now on, to be as substantive as we can achieve. There can be no question of the authority of the Hong Kong Government being diluted in any way before 30th June of next year, and we do not see any acceptability in, as it were two systems of government or administration for any period of time. For that reason and for the other reasons, including those that you have referred to, that does point towards the kind of co-operation with the Preparatory Committee that we would indeed seek to encourage.

Mrs Elizabeth Wong: Mr Foreign Secretary, I seek to ask a question which is neither interesting nor provocative nor hypothetical but actually factual and relevant to the fundamental well-being of Hong Kong and smooth transition of sovereign powers. Now just to remind us of two testaments: this is the Sino-British Declaration, this is the Basic Law. Under section 3(2) of the Sino-British Joint Declaration and section 2 of the Basic Law both the British Government and the Chinese Government have promised us, Hong Kong people, a high degree of autonomy. Yet, nowhere, even in your beautiful introductory remark, has the phrase "high degree of autonomy" crept in. Indeed, up to now, there is very little evidence - which is conspicuous - regarding the attention we are paying to this attainment of high degree of autonomy.

So my question is a very factual one. It is whether you regard this as it is your duty and your business to ensure that there is this high degree of autonomy, and if so what exactly are you doing about it?

Mr Rifkind: The high degree of autonomy is not an option, it's not incidental, it is crucial, it is fundamental to the Joint Declaration and to the Basic Law. It is what two systems and one country is all about. And therefore, it is not as if it were an optional extra. Unless Hong Kong receives the high degree of autonomy to which you refer, then we have not seen the implementation of the Joint Declaration and the Basic Law. So your question goes to the very heart of the relationship between Britain and China and the commitments that have been given with regard to Hong Kong. everything that we have done and will continue to do in the future are centred on the objective of high degree of autonomy. Because that, translated into the real world, means the way of life, the rule of law, the separate economic structure, all the things And that is that make Hong Kong unique and make it different from China. essentially what this whole arrangement is about and therefore it is, as I say, fundamental.

And