TNAG-1310-FCO40-1667-Future-of-Hong-Kong-1984 — Page 238

HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 14 March 1984

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it he possible for the Chinese and the British authorities to know their real es, their hopes and their needs, in order to arrive at the common objective.

The debate in this Council on the question of Hong Kong's future will not be an obstacle to the talks between China and Britain. On the contrary, it will help to give greater depth and broader scope to the problems to be considered in the talks by reflecting the wishes of the Hong Kong people. If the Hong Kong people's wishes can be matched with the undertaking of the Chinese and British leaders, that will be the most powerful guarantee to the maintenance of stability and prosperity of Hong Kong. The sincerity of the Chinese and the British Governments will gain the confidence of Hong Kong people. What Hong Kong people need now is a combination of sincerity and confidence. When the agreement, based on the Hong Kong people's wishes, is announced to the world, it will not only promote the future prosperity of Hong Kong, but will enter as a glorious page in the histories of China and Britain.

The proposals regarding the future of Hong Kong will be agreed in the near future. I appeal to all Hong Kong people to grasp this opportunity to express their own views and work positively for their own future and happiness. At the same time, I also suggest to the Chinese and the British Governments that they should, before any agreement is reached, listen to the debates in this Council of Hong Kong carefully, in order to understand the real wishes of the Hong Kong people. This will also enable all people in Hong Kong to have a chance to know the progress of what concerns themselves.

The points I raised above coincide with what my learned Unofficial Colleagues said earlier in their speeches. This just proves that Members of this Council have all the same objective in mind, that is, to strive for the stability and prosperity of Hong Kong and the happiness of its people.

Sir, on behalf of over four hundred thousand New Territories residents, I would like to express our sincere gratitude to you for your endeavours since assuming office as regards our future, and for soliciting our views. With these remarks, I support the motion.

MRS. CHOW: Sir, one of the three components of Hong Kong's achievements as an international miracle, not only in Asia but in the world arena, has undoubtedly been our social, political and judicial system guaranteed and protected by our constitutional link with Britain, which has successfully shielded us from the instability and turmoil of quite a number of our neighbouring countries in the last few decades. The second component has been the hardwork and ingenuity of our people. The third equally indispensable element is the support and co-operation of China. In case some over-zealous critics might misread this as another version of the three-legged stool theory, I hasten to stress that to our Chinese ancestors, the cauldron, although also three- legged, has always been hailed as the symbol of prosperity and stability, and therefore could easily epitomize the very success that Hong Kong has achieved.