XN000022-1996-09-25 — Page 4

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Question: What do you think that implies, that the Chief Secretary is using a Japanese term...?

Governor: I don't think it implies anything. Mrs Chan speaks Shanghainese, Mandarin and Cantonese better than most people. She also speaks English at least as well as me - some people think she speaks better English than me. She is a Chinese public servant of the highest quality with a family distinguished in Chinese history and Chinese culture. I don't think she needs any lectures from me about what to call places.

But her policy and the policy of the Government, and my policy on this dispute, is exactly the same: we recognise the very strong feelings in the community on this, we recognise why people march and demonstrate and we hope they will do so peacefully and within the law. We think there have been one or two incidents which the media and the public have disapproved of. We don't think that people's strong feelings should be directed at individuals for example at tourists or school children. But we do think that the dispute should be ended as rapidly and amicably as possible.

Since Hong Kong does not have any role in foreign affairs we are discreet about the way we express those views but we express them very forcefully. And, I repeat, Mrs Chan can and does express them in several languages and dialects very eloquently.

Question: Mr Patten, four military vessels are now approaching the Diaoyu Tai boat and... so it is believed that the people on the boat will become more dangerous. So what is your comment on this and do you think the Hong Kong Government can do something about it?

Governor: Well, I very much hope that the people who are on the vessels will behave sensibly and I hope that those who are in the patrol craft will behave sensibly as well. And if that happens there won't be any problem for anybody to deal with. But of course if those on the vessels get into any difficulty, we would have to provide assistance in the way we would provide it for anybody else. But I think everybody in Hong Kong, while recognising the strength of feelings, hopes that we can proceed without anybody being hurt or without any undue problems arising.

Question: Do you think both the PRC Government and the Taiwan Government should provide any military help to the vessel that is ... ?