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DRAFT SPEECH BY HON DESMOND LEE YU TAI
LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL - 4.12.85
The White Paper on the Draft Hong Kong (British Nationality) Order 1986
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sir,
The Sino-British Joint Declaration on the Question of Hong Kong was the result of two years of diplomatic negotiations, following a visit by the British Prime Minster to Beijing in September 1982. In the course of the two years, the confidence of the people of Hong Kong was undermined, and this was reflected, among other things, in the weakening of the Hong Kong dollar, falling to a record level on 24 September 1983.
Since
the publication of the Joint Declaration on 26 September 1984, a great deal of the confidence has been restored. The anxiety of many people was dispelled and they thought they could now enjoy a
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good sleep on the high pillow (Z).
As the Joint Declaration took so long to finalise, people expected that all obstacles and problems must have been resolved prior to its publication. This does not seem to be the case with respect to the British National (Overseas) passport, which is proposed in the Draft Hong Kong (British Nationality) Order 1986. Press reports touched upon questions and points of detail which required the signatory nations to have further exchanges of views and to reach agreement. These reports might have awaken people of Hong Kong from their sleep on the high pillow, and aroused new feelings of alarm. party's interest if confidence is affected. People must now be reassured that the terms of the Joint Declaration are feasible and will be implemented smoothly.
It is not in any
The people of Hong Kong, ethnic Chinese or otherwise, have chosen to come to this territory on their own volition, or at least their forefathers did. They (perhaps, I should switch
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