TNAG-1341-FCO40-17721-Visit-by-Margaret-Thatcher--UK-Prime-Minister--to-Beijing-fo-1985 — Page 150

Transcript by JAMES LEE of:

27 DEC 1984

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ADDRESS BY THE PRIME MINISTER, MRS. THATCHER, TO

THE UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE & LEGISLATIVE

COUNCILS IN HONG KONG, ON THURSDAY, DECEMBER 20, 1984.

Your Excellency, Honourable Members of the Executive and

Legislative Councils:

This evening, I speak to you on a momentous occasion.

Yesterday, in Peking, Premier Zhao Ziyang and I signed

the Sino-British Joint Declaration on Hong Kong. It is

fitting that this historic document should have been signed by

two Prime Ministers. These signatures testify to the total

commitment at the highest level of our two Governments to

implement the Agreement. Those signatures were also the

culmination of a process which began two years ago, when I

visited Peking and Hong Kong.

The aim agreed between the

During those two years, we have conducted taxing and

complex negotiations and I pay tribute to Sir Geoffrey Howe

and his able team of advisers.

British and Chinese Governments was to preserve Hong Kong's

stability and prosperity. For us on the British side, this

has a very special meaning. Throughout the negotiations,

my first concern was the future wellbeing of Hong Kong and

her people.

Britain has been responsible for Hong Kong for nearly

It is an association which is a source of justifiable

150 years.

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