XN000022-1996-05-18+19 — Page 9

8

-

What do you think that American audiences make of the handful of Hong Kongers who have been there recently to say that no one in Hong Kong cares about democracy and human rights? What do you think they make of those who have said that America and the rest of the world should turn a blind eye to any problems in Hong Kong after 1997?

I hope there won't be any problems. That's what I said in America. And I said, too, that even if there were, Hong Kong would come through them, survive and prosper. This great city, created by individual men and women working within the law, a city which was built by business flair and acumen, will I'm sure take every challenge in its stride.

-

But it will be helped to do so by the interest and support of the rest of the world, including Britain. The Joint Declaration commits Britain by treaty to a special moral responsibility for 50 years after 1997 - not an extension of sovereignty, or of meddling in China's affairs but a responsibility for speaking out if any of the promises made to Hong Kong are broken. I hope they won't be. I refuse to get drawn into the assumption that they will be. Some of my audiences this month have raised an eyebrow at that. But I believe that all will eventually turn out well, because as I've said over and over again, I believe in the people of Hong Kong - their energy, courage, commitment and talent.

That was my message in North America. And it will be my message in Europe and Japan when I visit later in the year. On those visits, I hope that the water won't have been muddied by others quite as much as it was over the last few weeks. But in

any event I'll do my best to speak up and speak out for Hong Kong - now, then, and always.

End

HK to participate in textile council meeting

The Deputy Director-General of Trade, Mr Tam Wing-pong, will head a Hong Kong delegation to attend the council meeting of the International Textiles and Clothing Bureau (ITCB) to be held in Bangkok, Thailand, next week to discuss a common position on textile matters for consideration in the World Trade Organisation (WTO) first Ministerial Conference in Singapore in December.

Starting from tomorrow (Monday) and lasting for five days, the ITCB meeting will be of particular importance in view of the completion of the first year of the implementation of the WTO Agreement on Textiles and Clothing (ATC), which came into effect in January last year to integrate the textiles and clothing sector into the multilateral trading system, and in view of the forthcoming WTO Ministerial Conference.