XN000022-1996-06-12 — Page 5

3

Governor: Well, I wouldn't have thought that it was a very sensible way of, if that's what he was saying, of describing my attempt which will continue until June 30, 1997 to stand up for Hong Kong. But let me say something which relates to his remark sent to those for which I take no credit, made by a distinguished former member of the Executive Council who is now the possessor of a Chinese passport. Let me just say a word or two about that issue. We have today in Hong Kong, we have today freedom of speech. We have freedom of speech which is guaranteed in our laws. We're told that there will be freedom of speech after 1997 as well. And that too is guaranteed in the Joint Declaration and in the Basic Law. Today, newspapers report, and they sometimes advocate, I'm sure it's the case that in leading articles Ta Kung Pao and Wen Wei Po sometimes advocate as well as reporting. We make no distinction between advocacy and reporting, how can you? So I am puzzled by the suggestion that somehow there will be laws after 1997 which will make that distinction. I am also puzzled about something else. Basic Law article 23 makes it perfectly clear that the laws on these issues will be made by the SAR Government and legislature. So I don't quite understand what is the basis for some Chinese officials saying what those laws will do or be. It's entirely a matter for the SAR Government. So I very much hope that we won't have any more confusion about this issue. There is freedom of speech today and it is promised tomorrow. And we don't make the sort of distinction which I mentioned earlier.

Question: Governor, do you think that Lu Ping is a good salesman for Hong Kong...?

Governor: I think it is a very good thing that Lu Ping and other senior Chinese officials go to other countries in the region and elsewhere and explain both what the Joint Declaration says, what the Basic Law says, what it means to talk about Hong Kong having a high degree of autonomy and what their plans are for the future. I would hope that in making those statements, they could avoid occasional confusion, for example over issues like freedom of speech but as I've said before, I welcome without any reservation whatsoever, senior Chinese officials taking the word about Hong Kong's present success and the pledges they've made for the future to other countries, whether in the region or in Europe or in North America.

Question: ... because you are advocating...

Governor: Sorry?

Question: Because you are one of the... you have advocacy...?

Governor: I am advocating adherence to the Joint Declaration. I assume that that is not something which Director Lu would think was wrong after 1997. I find this whole issue profoundly puzzling. But as I've said to you before, I haven't tied this knot and it is for others who have tied it to undo it. Thank you very much indeed.

End