TNAG-1299-FCO40-1655-Visit-by-Sir-Geoffrey-Howe--Secretary-of-State-for-Foreign-a-1984 — Page 70

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ADVANCE COPAKKC 027/¢

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

IMMEDIATE 2 7 APR 1984

DESK OFFICER

INDEX

PA

A Loken

307

718

00

HONG KONG

DESKBY 181215Z

00 FCO DESKBY 181215Z

00

LISBON

GR 500

RESTRICTED

DESKBY FCO/HONG KONG 181215Z

FM PEKING 18110OZ APR 84

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

TELEGRAM NUMBER 62 OF 18 APRIL

INFO IMMEDIATE FCO

INFO LISBON (FOR PS/PRIME MINISTER)

1153/18

FOR GOULDEN (SECRETARY OF STATE'S PARTY)

cha (8/

Mr. Hm Mr. Powell?

PEKING TEL NO 60 (NOT TO LISBON) FUTURE OF HONG KONG: 270 VISIT BY THE SECRETARY OF STATE: PRESS STATEMENT

1. WE HAVE NOW OBTAINED (FROM REUTERS) THE COMPLETE TEXT

OF THE NCNA REPORT, AS FOLLOWS

BEGINS

BEIJING, APRIL 18 (XINHUA)

CHAIRMAN DENG XIAOPING AND

BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY GEOFFREY HOWE HAD A WIDE-RANGING

DISCUSSION AND AGREED ON IMPORTANT MATTERS CONCERNING THE

ISSUE OF HONG KONG HERE TODAY.

DENG XIAOPING REITERATED THAT THE PRESENT SYSTEM IN HONG KONG

WOULD REMAIN UNCHANGED FOR 50 YEARS FOLLOWING CHINA'S RECOVERY

OF ITS SOVEREIGNTY OVER HONG KONG IN 1997.

* THIS POSITION OF OURS IS TAKEN IN CONNECTION WITH

CHINA'S LONG-TERM OBJECTIVE OF REALIZING THE FOUR MODERNIZATIONS''

SAID THE CHAIRMAN OF THE CENTRAL ADVISORY COMMISSION OF THE CHINESE

COMMUNIST PARTY.

AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING, DENG XIAOPING SAID TO HOWE,

'' GREAT CHANGES HAVE TAKEN PLACE IN CHINA SINCE YOUR LAST VISIT

IN 1978. BUT, COMPARED WITH OUR SPLENDID GOALS, THEY ARE JUST

'' OUR FIRST GOAL IS TO ENSURE A WELL-OFF LIVING STANDARD FOR THE

CHINESE PEOPLE BY THE END OF THIS CENTURY,'' HE SAID.

**WE ALSO HAVE A SECOND GOAL, THAT IS, TO REACH OR APPROACH THE ECON

THE ADVANCED COUNTRIES IN THE NEXT

30 TO 50 YEARS, HE ADDED.

HE SAID THAT THE FUTURE OF CHINA DOES NOT DEPEND ON THE ROLE

OF ONE OR TWO PERSONS, BUT RATHER ON THE CORRECTNESS OF THE POLICIES AND THE ROAD TO BE TAKEN. IF THE ROAD IS CORRECT, NO ONE CAN CHANGE IT BECAUSE ANY CHANGE WOULD BE UNPOPULAR, HE SAID. * THE CHANGES THAT HAVE TAKEN PLACE IN CHINA IN THE LAST

FEW YEARS ARE IN ACCORD WITH THE INTERESTS AND WISHES OF THE CHINESE PEOPLE. THEREFORE, THEY WILL BE CONTINUED, DENG SAID. HOWE SAID THAT HE HAD SEEN MANY CHANGES IN BEIJING DURING HIS

VISIT, ADDING THAT HE WAS MOST PLEASED TO SEE CHAIRMAN DENG

IN GOOD HEALTH, IN HIGH SPIRITS AND FULL OF CONFIDENCE.

THE 90- MINUTE DISCUSSION ALSO TOUCHED ON A NUMBER OF

INTERNATIONAL ISSUES.

PRESENT WERE CHINESE STATE COUNCILLOR AND FOREIGN MINISTER WU XUEQIAN, ASSISTANT FOREIGN MINISTER ZHOU NAM AND MEMBERS

OF SIR GEOFFREY HOWE'S PARTY.

ENDS

*