TNAG-1255-FCO40-1588-Third-countries-and-the-future-of-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 32

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GOVERNMENT IN HONG KONG LAW, AND THIS

SUCH WORDING WILL BE

AND

CHANGED, BUT THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM, THE LAW WILL NOT CHANGE. THEN THE RIGHT OF FINAL JUDGEMENT WILL BE VESTED IN HONG KONG AND THE HONG KONG DOLLAR WILL REMAIN, AND IT WILL BE ALLOWED TO CONTINUE ITS ECONOMIC RELATION WITH FOREIGN COUNTRIES, AND SO FORTH. THE MAINLAND WILL NOT SEND PEOPLE TO ADMINISTER THE REGION. WELL, I CANNOT GO INTO DETAILS AND SPECIFICS OF THE SPECIAL POLICIES TOWARDS THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG IN A COMPRE- HENSIVE MANNER, BUT THERE IS THE QUESTION THAT SOME PEOPLE MAY. DOUBT THAT WHEN CHINA REGAINS ITS SOVEREIGNTY OVER HONG KONG SUCH POLICIES WILL CHANGE. IT IS OUR HOPE THAT THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT

WILL BE SENSIBLE, BECAUSE THE QUESTION OF SOVEREIGNTY IS NOT NEGOTIABLE, CHINA WILL NOT CHANGE ITS POSITION ON THIS QUESTION. ON THIS CONDITION WE ARE WILLING TO SIT DOWN TO DISCUSS WITH THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT THE TWO QUESTIONS. FIRST, HOW TO MAINTAIN PROSPERITY AND STABILITY IN HONG KONG IN THE PERIOD FROM NOW

UNTIL 1997, THE YEAR WHEN WE WILL RECOVER OUR SOVEREIGNTY OVER HONG KONG. THE SECOND, IS HOW TO MAINTAIN THE PROSPERITY AND

STABILITY OF HONG KONG AFTER THE RECOVERY OF

SOVEREIGNTY BY CHINA IN 1997. WELL, HEREIN LIES OUR DIFFERENCES WITH THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT, IN THEIR VIEW, THAT THERE SHOULD BE A SEPARATION OF SOVEREIGNTY AND ADMINISTRATION. WELL, IN OUR VIEW, SOVEREIGNTY IS INSEPARABLE FROM ADMINISTRATION, THE BRITISH SIDE WANTS TO MAINTAIN ADMINISTRATIVE CONTROL AFTER CHINA REGAINS

ITS SOVEREIGNTY OVER HONG KONG. IN ESSENCE, THEY'RE RELUCTANT TO CONCEDE SOVEREIGNTY TO CHINA. BUT WE THINK IF THEY CAN ACCEPT OUR

POSITION ON THIS POINT, THEN OTHER PROBLEMS WILL BE EASIER FOR OUR

TWO SIDES TO DISCUSS, AND THERE IS MUCH FOR THE BRITISH SIDE TO DO.

AND WE CAN HAVE VERY GOOD COOPERATION TOO.

2. NEXT QUESTION, PAUL (MAJENDIE OF REUTERS?)

P.(UNDERLINED) DO YOU THINK THE BRITISH HAVE MIS-MANAGED THE

NEGOTIATIONS SO FAR, AND DO YOU CONSIDER THAT PROGRESS HAS BEEN SLIM, YOU HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT A 1984 DEADLINE ?

MR. WU (UNDERLINED)

1984..

...???

2

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/ P. (UNDERLINED)