TNAG-1342-FCO40-17722-Visit-by-Margaret-Thatcher--UK-Prime-Minister--to-Beijing-fo-1984 — Page 26

GRS 800

UNCLASSIFIED

DESKBY 19160OZ FCO

DESKBY 20003OZ HONG KONG

FROM PEKING 191545Z DEC 84

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 2043 OF 19/12/34

INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

HICK

RECEIVE

461).

040/57.

20 DEC 1984

IND.

TOP COXY

PRIME MINISTER'S VISIT: BANQUET

1. FOLLOWING IS TEXT OF ZHAO'S SPEECH AT THE BANQUET:

THE RT. HON. PRIME MINISTER MARGARET THATCHER,

THE RT. HON. FOREIGN SECRETARY SIR GEOFFREY HOWE,

DISTINGUISHED BRITISH GUESTS,

FRIENDS AND COMRADES,

TONIGHT, I AM PRIVILEGED TO EXTEND, ON BEHALF OF THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT AND PEOPLE, OUR CORDIAL AND WARM WELCOME TO PRIME MINISTER MARGARET THATCHER AND HER PARTY. THE RT. HON. PRIME MINISTER HAS COME TO SIGN THE SINO-BRITISH JOINT DECLARATION ON THE QUESTION OF HONG KONG AND PAY AN OFFICIAL VISIT TO CHINA. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO EXPRESS WELCOME TO THE PERSONAGES FROM VARIOUS CIRCLES IN HONG KONG WHO HAVE BEEN INVITED TO OBSERVE THE SIGNING CEREMONY IN BEIJING.

THE RT. HON. PRIME MINISTER IS AN OUTSTANDING STATESMAN OF GREAT BRITAIN AND AN OLD ACQUAINTANCE AND FRCEND OF THE CHINESE PEOPLE.

TWO YEARS AGO, YOUR EXCELLENCY PAID YOUR FIRST OFFICIAL WISIT TO

CHINA AS THE PRIM EMINISTER OF THE UNITED KINGDOM. THE LEADERS

OF OUR TWO COUNTRIES AGREED THEN TO HOLD FRIENDLY TALKS ON THE SETTLEMENT OF THE QUESTION OF HONG KONG. IT IS HIGHLY MEANINGFUL FOR US TO MEET AGAIN TODAY, ON THIS JOYOUS OCCASION WHEN THE CHINESE

AND BRITISH GOVERNMENTS HAVE AGREED ON AND FORMALLY SIGNED THE

JOINT DECLARATION ON THE QUESTION OF HONG KONG, AND HAVE THE

OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW THE COURSE OF DEVELOPMENT OF THE RELATIONS BETWEEN OUR TWO GREAT COUNTRIES, LOOK AHEAD TO THEIR BROAD PROSPECTS AND EXCHANGE VIEWS ON INTERNATIONAL ISSUES OF MUTUAL

CONCERN.

THE CHINESE AND BRITISH GOVERNEMENTS HAVE SETTELES THE HONG KONG QUESTION, A LEGACY OF HISTORY, THROUGH PEACEFUL NEGOTIATIONS. THIS IS A SUCCESS OF SINO-BRITISH FRIENDLY COOPERATION,

AND A RICH REWARD FOR THE HISTORIC POLICY DECISION MADE BY THE LEADERSHIP OF THE TWO COUNTRIES WHO SHOWED GREAT FORESIGHT

AND REGARD FOR LARGER INTERESTS AND THE LONG-TERM INTERESTS OF

THE TWO PEOPLES. WE PARTICULARLY APPRECIATE THE OUTSTANDING

STATEMANSHIP OF PRIME MINISTER MARGARET THATCHER AND HER IMPORTANT

CONTRIBUTION TO THE SUCCESS OF THE SINO-BRITISH TALKS. THE

SATISFACTORY SETTLEMENT OF THE HONG KONG QUESTION HAS NOT

ONLY LAID A RELIABLE FOUNDATION FOR THE LONG TERM PROSPERITY

AND STABILITY OF HONG KONG BUT ALSO PROVIED USEFUL

EXPERIENCE FOR THE PEACEFUL RESOLUTION OF ISSUES BETWEEN STATES

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