TNAG-1342-FCO40-17722-Visit-by-Margaret-Thatcher--UK-Prime-Minister--to-Beijing-fo-1984 — Page 37

FCO40 Hong Kong Department Records 聯邦事務部香港部檔案 All

WHEN I LAST CAME TO CHINA, THE QUESVN OF THE FUTURE

OF HONG KONG WAS A PROBLEM TO BE RESOLVED BETWEEN US.

HERE TOO WE HAD TO FACE CHANGE.

THE NEGOTIATIONS WHOSE SUCCESSFUL CONCLUSION

WE MARKED TODAY HAVE NOT ONLY RESOLVED THIS PROBLEM

AND GIVEN SOLID GROUNDS FOR CONFIDENCE TO THE PEOPLE

OF HONG KONG, THEY HAVE ALSO BROUGHT BRITAIN AND CHINA CLOSER TOGETHER.

THEY HAVE GIVEN FRESH IMPETUS TO THE EFFORTS OF BOTH COUNTRIES

TO DEVELOP STRONG AND WIDE-RANGING

RELATIONS BETWEEN US. EXCELLENT PROSPECTS FOR STRENGTHENING CULTURAL LINKS ALREADY EXIST. AND THE POTENTIAL FOR ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION IS NOW GREATER THAN EVER BEFORE.

IN MANY OF THE AREAS WHICH ARE ESSENTIAL TO YOUR

MODERNISATION PLANS BRITAIN HAS AGREAT DEAL OF

EXPERIENCE.

I BELIEVE WE IN BRITAIN CAN MAKE AN ENORMOUSE CONTRIBUTION

TO HELPING YOU BUILD A STRONG AND PROSPEROUS CHINA.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO DOING SO.

STRENGTH AND PROSPERITY AT HOME REQUIRE PEACE

AND STABILITY ABROAD.

AS CHAIRMAN DENG HAS SAID:

''LIKE THE REST OF THE PEOPLE

OF THE WORLD, WE REALLY NEED A PEACEFUL ENVIRONMENT''.

HOW TRUE THAT IS.

BOTH BRITAIN AND CHINA HAVE SHOWN THEMSELVES CAPABLE AND WILLING TO WORK FOR A MORE STABLE WORLD FREE OF THE THREAT OF CONFLICT.

WITH OUR SHARED GOODWILL AND OUR CONSTRUCTIVE ATTITUDE TO

INTERNATIONAL ISSUES, WE SHOULD NOW REDOUBLE OUR EFFORST TO CONTRIBUTE JOINTLY TO WORLD PEACE AND PROSPERITY

THE SPIRIT SHOULD BE THAT OF ENNYSON'S RINGING CALL: STRIVE, STO SEEK, TO FIND AND NOT TO

YIELD'.

סדיי

MR PREMIER, IT HAS BEEN A GREAT PERSONAL PLEASURE FOR ME

TO RENEW THE FRIENDLY CONTACTS WE HAD ON MY LAST

VISHT. WE HAVE HAD EXCELLENT TALKS AGAIN TODAY,

AND

LOOK FORWARD TO WELCOMING YOU TO LONDON

NEXT YEAR. FOR NOW, IN THANKING YOU FOR THIS MAGNIFICENT BANQUET, MAY USE WORDS OF A CHINESE SAXING

TO DESCRIBE THE GROWING FRIENDSHIP BETWEEN OUR TWO

1

COUNTRIES WE HAVE BUILT WELL.

BUT THERE IS MORE TO DO.

IN THAT SPIRIT, I SHOULD LIKE TO PROPSE A TOAST,

3

/HO

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