TNAG-1338-FCO40-1770-Visit-by-Margaret-Thatcher--UK-Prime-Minister--to-Beijing-fo-1984 — Page 85

{

CONFIDENTIAL

8. I HAVE SAID THAT I BELIEVE THAT THE AGREEMENT PROVIDES FOR A FUTURE WHICH HONG KONG CAN FACE WITH CONFIDENCE. BUT THE AGREEMENT OF ITSELF CANNOT BRING ABOUT A SUCCESSFUL FUTURE FOR HONG KONG. THAT LIES, AS IT ALWAYS HAS DONE, LARGELY IN THE HANDS OF HONG KONG PEOPLE THEMSELVES. HONG KONG PEOPLE HAVE EARNED THE RESPECT OF THE ENTIRE WORLD TO THE ASTONISHING SUCCESS STORY WHICH THEY HAVE WRITTEN. THE COURAGE TO ADAPT TO CHANGING CIRCUMSTANCES HAS BEEN A MAJOR FACTOR CONTRIBUTING TO THIS SUCCESS. THE PROCESS OF EVOLVING A SYSTEM OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT IN HONG KONG IS PART OF THE SAME PROCESS OF CONSTRUCTIVE CHANGE. HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT FULLY SUPPORTS THE EXTENSION OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT IN HONG KONG IN A STYLE AND FORM OF HONG KONG'S OWN CHOOSING.

9. THE WORK OF THE TWO GOVERNMENTS IS BY NO MEANS FINISHED. MUCH REMAINS TO BE DONE TO ENSURE THE INTERNATIONAL ACCEPTABILITY OF THE AGREEMENT SEMI COLON THIS IS VITAL FOR AN ECONOMY SO EXTERNALLY ORIENTED AS THAT OF HONG KONG. IT IS ENCOURAGING THAT THE GOVERNMENTS OF ALL HONG KONG'S MAJOR TRADING PARTNERS HAVE ALREADY STATED THEIR APPRECIATION OF THE AGREEMENT, AND HAVE IN MANY CASES PLEDGED TO ASSIST IN ITS IMPLEMENTATION. THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT WILL DEVOTE ITS FULL DIPLOMATIC RESOURCES TO ENSURING THAT HONG KONG'S POSITION IN THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY, IN PARTICULAR IN THE GATT AND OTHER INTERNATIONAL TRADING ARRANGEMENTS IS MAINTAINED. I AM CONFIDENT THAT THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT WILL DO

LIKEWISE.

10. I HAVE EXPRESSED MY CONFIDENCE IN THE AGREEMENT AND MY BELIEF THAT IT CAN BE MADE TO WORK. WE COULD NOT HAVE ACHIEVED SUCH A GOOD AGREEMENT WITHOUT THE SUPPORT AND ADVICE OF MANY PEOPLE IN HONG KONG. I SHOULD LIKE TO PAY TRIBUTE TO YOU, THE MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATIVE COUNCILS FOR THE ROLE YOU PLAYED THROUGHOUT THIS DIFFICULT PERIOD IN HONG KONG'S HISTORY. THE ADVICE AND CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM OFFERED BY EXCO THROUGHOUT THE NEGOTIATING PROCESS WAS OF THE GREATEST VALUE TO ME AND MY MINISTERS. ALL MEMBERS OF UMELCO MADE KNOWN THEIR OWN HOPES AND FEARS AND THOSE OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG AS REFLECTED TO THEM. YOUR FRANKNESS, DETERMINATION AND SENSE OF PUBLIC DUTY WAS OF GREAT VALUE IN THE NEGOTIATIONS. I SHOULD ALSO LIKE TO PAY WARM TRIBUTE TO THE RESILIENCE, PATIENCE AND FOREBEARANCE OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG AS A WHOLE. IT CANNOT HAVE BEEN EASY FOR A COMMUNITY TO OBSERVE ITS FUTURE BEING DISCUSSED IN CONDITIONS OF SECRECY, HOWEVER MUCH THE TWO GOVERNMENTS INVOLVED SOUGHT TO ASSURE THEM THAT THEY HAD

HONG KONG'S BEST INTERESTS AT HEART. 3-

-

CONFIDENTIAL

111.