TNAG-1237-FCO40-1550-Future-of-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 101

Į

I

AND FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE LOOKING FOR INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES, HONG KONG IS STILL THE PLACE WITH PLENTY TO OFFER.

H CHINA AND THE UNITED KINGDOM HAVE REPEATEDLY PLEDGED TO MAINTAIN

TERRITORY'S CONTINUED PROSPERITY.

HONG KONG IS A COMMERCIAL SOCIETY THAT HAS UTILIZED THE FULL POTENTIAL OF ITS HUMAN RESOURCES WHILE INTERNATIONAL INVESTMENT BUILDS UP. ON THE ONE HAND, IT HAS CHINA TO THANK WHILE ON THE OTHER, THE UNIQUE ADMINISTRATIVE SYSTEM OF HONG KONG'S GOVERNMENT HAS HELPED TO WRITE HER SUCCESS STORY, ALTHOUGH SHE HAS NO NATURAL RESOURCES AT ALL.

AND I BELIEVE HONG KONG WILL WRITE YET ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL STORY OF HER OWN IN THE FUTURE.

THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG,

I ALSO BELIEVE, WILL BE LED BY A NEW GENERATION OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE A DEEP SENSE OF BELONGING, A GREAT CONFIDENCE IN HER FUTURE, AND A WILLINGNESS TO SHOULDER RESPON- SIBILITIES. NOT ONLY WILL HONG KONG MAINTAIN ITS PRESENT LIFE STYLE, BUT SHE WILL EVOLVE AS A SELF-GOVERNING AND INTERNATIONALLY RENOWNED TERRITORY UNDER CHINESE SOVEREIGNTY. HONG KONG WILL RETAIN HER FREE CURRENCY SYSTEM, AND RESIDENTS HOLDING PASSPORTS AND OTHER IDENTITY PAPERS WILL CONTINUE TO ENJOY THE RIGHT OF UNRESTRICTED TRAVEL. HER OWN LEGAL SYSTEM AND INTERNAL SECURITY FORECES WILL BE RETAINED. TAXES WILL CONOINUE TO BE FEW AND LOW, AND HER ECONOMIC POLICY WILL REMAIN OPEN, WITH NO GOVERNMENT INTERFERENCE IN ALL ADMINISTRATION SYSTEMS.

I BELIEVE THAT IN FUTURE, THE EMPHASIS OF OUR CITY'S DEVELOPMENT WILL BE ON HIGH-TECH INDUSTRIES AND MODERN FINANCIAL SERVICES. SHE WILL BE EVEN MORE COSMOPOLITAN THAN SHE IS NOW. PROSPERITY WILL FURTHER FLOURISH, ATTRACTING THE BEST FROM THE EAST AS WELL AS THE WEST, SERVING THE WORLD AS AN INTERNATIONAL FREE PORT, WHILE CONTINUING HER ROLE AS THE NERVE CENTRE FOR ASIA-PACIFIC TRADE.

I ALSO DEEPLY BELIEVE THAT BOTH CHINA AND THE UNITED KINGDOM HAVE AN INTIMATE UNDERSTANDING OF THE SITUATION OF HONG KONG. FOR THE SAKE OF THE CONGENIAL AND FRIENDLY RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE TWO NATIONS, THE LEADERS OF BOTH COUNTRIES WILL PURSUE NEGOTIATIONS DEISGNED TO ENABLE A JOINT COMMITMENT TO HONG KONG'S CONTINUING PROSPERITY. THEY WILL ARRIVE AT CONCLUSIONS THAT WILL BE BENEFICIAL TO BOTH COUNTRIES AS WELL AS THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG.

PERHAPS SOME OF YOU STILL HAVE DOUBTS ABOUT ASIA'S POLITICAL STABILITY AND ARE WONDERING WHETHER I'VE BEEN OVER-OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE CONTINENT'S FUTURE. LET ME SHARE WITH YOU MY PERSONAL INVESTMENT

PHILOSOPHY.

OF COURSE, IT MAY BE SAFER TO INVEST UNDER VERY STABLE OR STEADY CIRCUMSTANCES. BUT EVEN IN AN UNCERTAIN SITUATION, WE CAN STILL EXPLORE HIDDEN OPPORTUNITIES IF WE ARE ANALYTICAL AND MAKE THE RIGHT JUDGMENT.

WHEN WE PUT WESTERN CAPITAL BEHIND ASIA RESOURCES, THE ROAD TO WORLD PROSPERITY IS WIDE OPEN.

3