XN000022-1997-02-19 — Page 3

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Governor: Well, I think it would be injudicious of me to respond to a rumour that Chinese leaders have already given the thumbs-up to appointments which haven't been announced. I have been in politics a few years nov. and I think it would show quite a lot of inexperience and quite a lack of wisdom were I to respond in the those circumstances.

Question: What effect do you think reports of Deng Xiaoping's deteriorating health will have ...

Governor: There have been similar reports on a number of occasions in the last few years. I have always said that it is, in my judgment, inappropriate for me or other public officials to speculate about the health of Mr Deng Xiaoping. Chinese officials, I don't imagine, speculate about my health and I think it would be unwise for me to speculate about theirs. I have noted what spokesmen have said in Peking and I very much hope that what they say is correct. I think, myself, that the strategy for Hong Kong, based on Mr Deng's concept of 'one country, two systems' is now clearly laid out and the health or otherwise of any individual should not have too much affect on the successful implementation of that strategy. But obviously, I hope that if there are rumours about anybody being in ill-health that those rumours are untrue.

Question: Has Tung Chee Hwa or anybody consulted... opinion on how civil servants

and could you...?

A

Governor: I think it is a question which is slightly beside the point. Mr Tung was a member of my Executive Council for almost four years and had the opportunity of seeing at first-hand the competence of a Civil Service which at the senior levels - as with the exception of the post of Attorney General - have been entirely localised while I have been Governor of Hong Kong. So Mr Tung has been able to see for himself how outstanding is the quality of the Hong Kong Civil Service. I have noted that he has said publicly how good he thinks our Civil Service is and it was a point on which we both agreed when we met in December.

Question: So, has he ever asked you for your opinion on anything like that?

Governor: I don't think he needs to ask my opinion on whether or not the Hong Kong Civil Service is of high quality. I have said that publicly and he has seen me working with the Hong Kong Civil Service at first-hand. Don't forget that at every Executive Council meeting we have we see a range of Hong Kong civil servants presenting papers and justifying particular Bills or courses of political action. So during the course of four years Mr Tung will have seen, I would guess, most of the senior members of the Hong Kong Civil Service actually working with the Executive Council in the interests of Hong Kong.