TNAG-1306-FCO40-1663-Future-of-Hong-Kong-1984 — Page 83

GR850

UNCLASSIFIED

FM HONG KONG 120915Z JAN 84

TO IMMEDIATE F C O

TELEGRAM NUMBER 86 OF 12 JANUARY

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING.

TOP COPY

HKK0401

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

13 JAN 1934

DESK OFFIC

INDF

@MIPT

MIPT: FOLLOWING IS TEXT OF KEY PASSAGES FROM XU JIATUN'S

SPEECH (FULL TRANSLATION BY BAG TO HKD AND PEKING)

Chirli

CH

1. AT PRESENT, HONGKONG IS FACING A HISTORICAL CHANGE, WHICH IS MAINLY CHARACTERIZED BY CHINA'S INTENTION TO RESUME THE EXERCISE OF SOVEREIGNTY OVER THE WHOLE OF HONGKONG IN 1997 AND TO MAINTAIN THE STABILITY AND PROSPERITY OF HONG KONG. THIS IS THE ESTABLISHED POLICY AND UNFLINCHING STANCE OF THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT. OVER THE PAST YEAR OR SO, THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT AND LEADERSHIP HAVE REPEATEDLY ENUNCIATED CHINA'S POLICIES AND GUIDELINES CONCERNING THE RESUMED EXERCISE OF HONGKONG'S SOVEREIGNTY. THESE POLICIES AND GUIDELINES, WHICH MORE AND MORE PEOPLE HAVE TENDED TO UNDERSTAND AND ACCEPT, INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING: AFTER SOVEREIGNTY REVERTS TO CHINA, HONGKONG WILL BECOME A SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION UNDER ARTICLE 31 OF

· THE CHINESE CONSTITUTION, AND WILL BE MANAGED BY A GOVERNMENT FORMED BY LOCAL PEOPLE ACCORDING TO THE BASIC LAW: EXPATIRATE AND LOCAL CIVIL SERVANTS IN VARIOUS GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS, AND POLICE OFFICERS, MAY KEEP THEIR JOBS: THE SAR WILL HAVE A HIGH DEGREE OF AUTONOMY, AN INDEPENDENT JUDICIARY AND FINAL JUDICIAL POWER: THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC SYSTEM WILL REMAIN UNCHANGED: THE EXISTING LAWS WILL REMAIN BASICALLY INTACT: HONG KONG'S STATUS AS A FREE PORT AND AN INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL CENTRE, WITH THE CONTINUED CIRCULAT- ION OF THE HONGKONG DOLLAR AND ITS FREE CONVERTIBILITY TO OTHER CURRENCIES, WILL BE PRESERVED: LOCAL RESIDENTS WILL ENJOY THE FREEDOMS OF SPEECH, THE PRESS, ASSEMBLY, ASSOCIATION, COMMUNICATION, AND THE RIGHT TO MOVE INTO AND OUT OF THE TERRITORY: THE ECONOMIC INTERESTS OF BRITAIN AND OTHER COUNTRIES IN HONGKONG WILL BE LOOKED AFTER: THE SAR WILL BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN AND DEVELOP ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL TIES WITH OTHER COUNTRIES AND INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS AND TO ISSUE ITS OWN TRAVEL DOCUMENTS: MAINTAINING LAW AND ORDER

WILL BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE SAR GOVERNMENT: AND SO ON AND

50 FORTH.

2. THESE POLICIES ARE NOT EMPTY WORDS, BUT ARE BASED ON THE NEED TO RESPECT HONGKONG'S HISTORY AND REALITY, TO ACHIEVE THE GOAL OF UNIFYING AND MODERNISING THE COUNTRY, TO WIN WIDESPREAD SUPPORT FROM BOTH WITHIN THE COUNTRY AND INTERNATIONALLY AND TO MAINTAIN HONGKONGS STABILITY AND PROSPERITY, AS WELL AS THE NEED TO RESPECT THE WISHES OF THE VAST MAJORITY OF PEOPLE IN HONGKONG. IN OTHER WORDS, THESE ARE POLICIES FORMULATED ON THE BASIS OF RESPECTING HISTORY AND REALITY AND LOOKING AFTER THE INTERESTS OF PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT QUARTERS IN HONG KONG.

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