TNAG-1299-FCO40-1655-Visit-by-Sir-Geoffrey-Howe--Secretary-of-State-for-Foreign-a-1984 — Page 99

THE MAINTENANCE OF HONG KONG'S OWN FAMILIAR SYSTEM OF JUSTICE,

AND RESPONSIBILITY FOR PUBLIC ORDER IN THE TERRITORY. UNDER SUCH ARRANGEMENTS, THE LAWS OF HONG KONG, INCLUDING THE WRITTEN AND COMMON LAW, WOULD BE BASED UPON THE PRESENT SYSTEM: EXISTING FREEDOMS WOULD BE MAINTAINED - FREEDOM FROM ARBITRARY ARREST, FREEDOM OF RELIGION, ASSEMBLY AND SPEECH, FREEDOM OF TRAVEL, AND FREEDOM OF THE PRESS. HONG KONG WOULD MANAGE ITS OWN PUBLIC FINANCES, WITHIN WHICH TAXES LEVIED IN HONG KONG WOULD, AS NOW, BE EMPLOYED IN HONG KONG FOR THE BENEFIT OF HONG KONG PEOPLE. AND, UNDER SUCH ARRANGEMENTS, HONG KONG'S EXTENSIVE AND DIRECT ECONOMIC RELATION-

SHIPS WITH THE WORLD WOULD CONTINUE. HONG KONG WOULD REMAIN AN

IMPORTANT PARTICIPANT IN REGIONAL AND WORLD ECONOMIC ORGANISATIONS.

AND THERE WOULD BE A PLACE FOR OUTSIDE PEOPLE, FROM BRITAIN AND ELSEWHERE, TO GO ON MAKING A CONTRIBUTION TO LIFE IN HONG KONG.

HONG KONG WOULD MAINTAIN ITS CULTURAL LIFE AND LINKS WITH THE

OUTSIDE WORLD.

9. THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT HAVE MADE IT CLEAR PUBLICLY THAT THEY

SEE THE ADMINISTRATION OF HONG KONG, AFTER 1997, AS BEING

IN THE HANDS OF HONG KONG PEOPLE THEMSELVES. THIS WOULD FOLLOW

A PROCESS OF DEVELOPMENT WHICH I AM GLAD TO SAY IS ALREADY UNDER WAY, AND WHICH I EXPECT TO EVOLVE FURTHER. DURING THE YEARS IMMED-

IATELY AHEAD, THE GOVERNMENT OF HONG KONG WILL BE DEVELOPED ON

INCREASINGLY REPRESENTATIVE LINES.

10.

I RECOGNISE AND UNDERSTAND THAT THE PROSPECT OF CHANGE CAUSES REAL CONCERN. MY CONTACTS HERE IN THE LAST TWO DAYS HAVE BORNE THIS IN UPON ME VERY CLEARLY. IT IS NATURAL THAT PEOPLE ARE

ANXIOUS TO KNOW WHAT THE FUTURE WILL HOLD. WE LISTEN CAREFULLY

TO THE VIEWS OF HONG KONG PEOPLE AND TAKE FULL ACCOUNT OF THOSE VIEWS IN THE NEGOTIATIONS. MY DISCUSSIONS WITH THE CHINESE LEADERS

HAVE CONVINCED ME THAT THEY WANT THE HONG KONG SYSTEMS TO REMAIN FUNDAMENTALLY AS THEY ARE. WE HAVE STRESSED ALL ALONG THE NEED FOR FIRM ASSURANCE THAT ARRANGEMENTS FOR HONG KONG'S CONTINUING PROSPERITY AND STABILITY BASED ON EFFECTIVE AUTONOMY, WILL CONTINUE. THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT HAVE MADE IT CLEAR PUBLICLY THAT THEY INTEND

SUCH ARRANGEMENTS TO LAST FOR AT LEAST FIFTY YEARS FROM 1997. WE ARE WORKING FOR AN AGREEMENT WHICH WILL ENSHRINE THAT PRINCIPLE

OF CONTINUITY FOR THIS UNIQUE SOCIETY.

·

11. AS I SAID, WE ARE STILL NEGOTIATING. SEVERAL POINTS OF SUBSTANCE REMAIN TO BE RESOLVED. I CANNOT ANTICIPATE THE DETAILS OF AN EVENTUAL AGREEMENT. WE ARE WORKING TO A PROGRAMME WHICH

TAKES ACCOUNT BOTH OF CHINESE WISHES AND OF ALL OUR OWN REQUIREMENTS. THE AGREEMENT WHICH IS REACHED MUST BE SUCH THAT WE CAN COMMEND IT TO PARLIAMENT. I KNOW VERY WELL THAT PEOPLE IN HONG KONG WILL NEED TO KNOW THE TERMS OF THE AGREEMENT AND HAVE TIME TO EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS. AND PARLIAMENT ITSELF WILL NEED TIME TO

REFLECT AND TAKE ACCOUNT OF THOSE VIEWS.

RESTRICTED (3)

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