Geir Hallgrímsson expressed interest in hearing the Chinese
government's attitude to negotiations with Britain on the
status of Hong Kong.
The Minister said that China now reckoned that the time was
right to prepare for the takeover of Hong Kong in 1997.
"We shall take over the whole of the Hong Kong area, which
is in three parts taken from China by three unequal treaties
These treaties were not made as between equals and the People's
Republic of China has never recognised them. The first of
these treaties was made in 1840 and by 1997 it will be almost
150 years since Hong Kong was segregated from China. But
despite our determination to win back the land we were obliged
to hand over under pressure, we recognise the special position
which Hong Kong has created for herself as a centre of inter-
national trade. We are thus aiming towards making Hong Kong
into a special self-governing zone, disturbing her position
in world trade as little as possible. The people of Hong
Kong will choose themselves a government in 1997 and her laws
will remain unchanged, with the exception of laws which incor-
porate racial discrimination or which are based on British
colonial rule. The currency of Hong Kong will continue to be
the HK Dollar, which will still be externally negotiable.
shall endeavour to protect Britain's and other nations' invest-
ments in Hong Kong. We are convinced that the great majority
of companies currently operating in Hong Kong will continue
to do so, and we shall take steps to encourage new investment.
We are sure that agreement will be reached with Britain about
the takeover of Hong Kong; relations between Britain and
China are now very friendly."
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