TNAG-0331-FCO40-367-Visits-of-Secretary-of-State-for-Foreign-and-Commonwealth-Af-1972 — Page 123

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18 : SEE IT IN THE COMMUN MARKET HONG KONG'S INTERESTS ARE 10. OPPOSED TO BRITAIN'S. THEY WILL BE SATISFIED BY JUST THE SAME POLICIES AS WILL SATISFY BRITAIN'S

5. NOW A WORD ABOUT CHINA. HONG KONG IS ACUTELY AWARE OF WHAT GOES ON IN CHINA. HONG KONG HAS A UNIQUE TALENT FOR PLAYING A ROLE THAT OFFERS BENEFIT TO ALL AND HARM TO MONE.

6. FOR MY PART 1 WELCOME UNRESERVEDLY THE SEATING OF THE PEOPLES' REPUBLIC OF CHINA, IN THE UN, THE UNITED KINGDOM WAS THE FIRST H WESTERN

GOVERNMENT TO RECOGNISE IT, AND WE HAVE FOR LONG BELIEVED THAT THE FACTS OF INTERNATIONAL LIFE REQUIRED THAT SHE SHOULD TAKE HER RIGHTFUL PLACE IN THE SECURITY COUNCIL AND THE ASSEMBLY. THE MAJOR OBSTACLE HAS BEEN THE ENMITY BETWEEN THE AMERICAN GOVERNMENT AND THAT IN PEKING= AND I APPLAUD EQUALLY PRESIDENT NIXON'S DOLD INITIATIVE TO END IT AND THE WISDOM OF THE CHINESE PEOPLES' COVERNMENT IN ACCEPTING IT.

7. LET ME SAY THAT THESE DEVELOPMENTS ARE NOT RELATED IN ANY WAY TO THE STATUS OR FUTURE OF HONG KONG. ON THE CONTRARY YOU HAVE EVERY REASON TO BE THANKFUL FOR THE ENDING OF AN INJUSTICE AND AN ANOMALY WHICH WAS A MAJOR SOURCE OF FRICTION AND MISUNDERSTANDING IN THE WORLD, AND IN PARTICULAR IN THIS AREA.

3. I WOULD LIKE TO SAY HOW GLAD I AM THAT SINO-BRITISH RELATIONS HAVE STEADILY IMPROVED IN RECENT YEARS, AND THAT THEY ARE NOW ONCE MORE ON A CORRECT AND SATISFACTORY FOOTING. BOTH COUNTRIES HAVE MUCH TO OFFER EACH OTHER IN TRADE AND CULTURE. I AM SURE THAT YOU WILL ALL JOIN WITH ME IN VISHING MR. ADDIS, OUR NEW CHARGE D'AFFAIRES, EVERY SUCCESS IN HIS MISSION,

9. AND NOW A WORD ABOUT TRADE, IT WAS A GREAT RELIEF TO

ME THAT IT WAS POSSIBLE TOACHIEVE. SO QUICKLY

THE REALIGHMENT OF PARITIES OF THE MAJOR

INTERNATIONAL CURRENCIES. THIS WAS CHORIOUSLY TO HONG KONGIS

AND INDEED EVERYONE'S ADVANTAGE. WITH EVERY WEEK THAT THE CONFUSION OF EXCHANGE RATES CONTINUED, THE BLIGHT OF PROTECTIONISM SEEMED TO THREATEN MORE CLOSELY THE CONTINUED EXPANSION OF WORLD TRADE. IT HAS BEEN ON THIS EXPANSION THAT HONG KONG'S SUCCESS HAS BEEN BUILT, AS WELL AS ON THE SKILL AND ENTERPRISE OF ITS PEOPLE. BUT HOW THE AMERICAN SURCHARGE IS REMOVED AND THE. FUTURE IS BRICHTER.

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