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DD 23010OZ PEKING
GRS 710
UNCLASSIFIED
DESKBY 230100Z
FM FCO 221700Z MAR 84
TO IMMEDIATE PEKING
TELEGRAM NUMBER 247 OF 22 MARCH
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
35MIPT: FUTURE OF HONG KONG: FOREIGN AFFAIRS DEBATE:
SECRETARY OF STATE'S SPEECH.
FOLLOWING IS TEXT:
• HKK040/31
C727/3
1. HONG KONG IS ONE OF THE MOST STRIKING EXAMPLES OF SUCCESSFUL
ENTERPRISE ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD. ITS SUCCESS CAN BE ATTRIBUTED
TO A UNIQUE SYNTHESIS OF BRITISH AND CHINESE TALENT. WE ARE NOW
ENGAGED WITH THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA IN NEGOTIATIONS OVER
THE FUTURE OF HONGKONG WITH THE COMMON AIM OF ENABLING THIS
ENTERPRISE TO CONTINUE AND FLOURISH.
2. THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG ARE UNDERSTANDABLY CONCERNED TO BE ABLE
TO PRESERVE THE VITAL ELEMENTS IN THEIR SOCIETY. WHAT THEY MOST
WISH TO SEE IS THE PROSPECT OF CONTINUITY IN THE SYSTEMS AND THE
FREEDOMS WHICH CHARACTERISE HONG KONG LIFE TODAY.
3. THEY WISH TO BE CERTAIN THAT THE ESSENTIAL FOUNDATIONS OF THEIR
WAY OF LIFE WILL BE MAINTAINED INTO THE FUTURE SEMI COLON THAT THE
BASIS OF THE CURRENT LEGAL AND SOCIAL SYSTEMS WILL CONTINUE,
THAT HONG KONG'S ECONOMY WILL REMAIN OPEN TO WORLD MARKETS SEMI
COLON THAT THEY WILL BE ABLE TO SPEAK AND MEET AND TRAVEL AS
THEY WISH. HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT FULLY UNDERSTAND THAT CONCERN.
4. WE MUST AND DO BEAR IN MIND THE REALITIES OF THE SITUATION AND
THE UNIQUE HIITORICAL AND GEOGRAPHICAL CIRCUMSTANCES OF HỌNG KONG.
AT PRESENT, CONTINUITY IS ASSURED BY BRITISH ADMINISTRATION. BUT IN
1997 BRITAIN'S LEASE OF 92 PERCENT OF THE TERRITORY COMES TO
AN END. IT IS IN THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT IT BECOMES POSSIBLE
INDEED DESIRABLE TO VISUALISE OTHER WAYS IN WHICH CONTINUITY CAN
BE ASSURED.
5. OUR TASK, IN THE LIGHT OF THESE REALITIES, IS TO ENSURE THE
NECESSARY CONTINUITY IN HONGKONG'S SYSTEMS. THIS WILL PRESENT
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