7-
Governor: It is very important - the honourable lady is right - it is very important to be able to demonstrate to people that additional costs that they may have to bear are bringing them a cleaner environment. And as the sewage strategy becomes comprehensive, or more or less comprehensive for the territory, I am sure we will want to point out the impact on individual beaches around the territory. And then I hope that people can enjoy them in fine weather, we all hope shark-free.
Mr Fred Li (in Chinese): Mr President, I am not talking about sewage, I would like to follow up on the North American trip. The Governor has been here for a few years. According to my observation, whenever he goes out for visits, no matter what countries he goes to he is usually more bold and audacious and he is off the beaten track, so usually, he will attract comments from the pro-China elements and China and recently from the Chambers of Commerce, of course. So a question for the Governor. I suggest when you are outside Hong Kong you feel freer or you seem to be more unconventional, but in Hong Kong your performance is not so brilliant.
The President: Well, I thought You were always brilliant.
Governor: That is what I like to hear from the President of the Legislative Council. I think that it is perhaps surprising, maybe even pleasing, to discover that I say things sometimes elsewhere which are exactly the same as the things I say in Hong Kong but I get attention from them, when I say them elsewhere, which I do not get when I say them in Hong Kong. Invariably, even, from Hong Kong newspapers.
My favourite comment on my trip to the United States was the newspaper correspondent of one of the leading world newspapers reporting from Hong Kong and he quoted one or two Members of the Council in his article - but his main point was that the controversy in Hong Kong seems to be about things I had not said which had I said them would not have been regarded as controversial by anyone. If the Honourable Member can follow that contorted logic.
The truth of the matter is that the American newspapers were rather enthusiastic about the messages I gave. I thought a question like this might come up and I came, as they say, prepared - prepared with some of the headlines from speeches I made in the United States:
"Hong Kong to Lobby US on China. Governor Don't Use Trade Status as a Weapon" (USA Today)
"Hong Kong Governor Due in US is Warily Bullish" (New York Times)
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.