TNAG-1591-FCO40-2176-Appointment-of-Sir-David-Wilson-as-new-Governor-of-Hong-Kong-1987 — Page 54

Confidential

CRS 670 CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 590

OF 171015Z FEBRUARY 87

PERSONAL FOR SIR D. WILSON FROM ACTING GOVERNOR.

MIPT: ARRANGEMENTS FOR YOUR ARRIVAL: SPEECH

TEXT OF DRAFT SPEECH IS AS FOLLOWS:

BEGINS

SIR DAVID, SIR S.Y., LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,

121

Q DIST 7

400/1

23 FEB 1987

I AM GRATEFUL TO YOU, SIR DAVID AND SIR S.Y., FOR YOUR KIND WORDS OF WELCOME.

TO RETURN TO HONG KONG AS GOVERNOR IS A GREAT PRIVILEGE AND HONOUR. YET, AT THE SAME TIME, I AM CONSCIOUS OF THE SAD EVENT THAT LED TO MY APPOINTMENT THE SUDDEN AND TRAGIC DEATH

OF SIR EDWARD YOUDE. NO ONE WHO WAS IN HONG KONG AT THE TIME OF SIR EDWARD'S FUNERAL COULD BE IN ANY DOUBT ABOUT THE GENUINE AFFECTION AND RESPECT IN WHICH HE WAS HELD BY THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG. I TAKE UP THE RESPONSIBILITIES HE BORE WITH SUCH GOOD HUMOUR AND PATIENCE, KNOWING THAT THE GOVERNMENT HE LED SO WISELY AND THE COMMUNITY HE SERVED SO WELL HAVE DEMONSTRATED CLEARLY THEIR DETERMINATION TO GO ON BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE.

WHEN HE SPOKE TO YOU ON HIS ARRIVAL, SIR EDWARD SPOKE WITH CONFIDENCE OF FINDING A SOLUTION TO THE VITAL QUESTION OF THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG. NOW THAT FUTURE HAS BEEN FIRMLY DECIDED AND DEFINED IN AN HISTORIC AGREEMENT, WHICH HAS OPENED A NEW ERA OF COOPERATION BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENTS OF THE UNITED KINGDOM AND CHINA AND HAS SET OUT IN DETAIL THE LONG TERM FUTURE FOR HONG KONG IN THE SHORT TIME SINCE THE JOINT DECLARATION WAS SIGNED, MUCH HAS BEEN DONE TO SET IT IN PLACE. THAT WORK IS CONTINUING AND ONE OF MY PRINCIPAL TASKS WILL BE TO KEEP UP THIS MOMENTUM WHICH IS SO IMPORTANT FOR CONFIDENCE IN THE FUTURE.

HONG KONG HAS CHANGED DRAMATICALLY EVEN IN THE SHORT SPACE OF SIX YEARS SINCE I LEFT IT. NOW IT SEEMS TO HAVE A NEW DIMENSION, AN ADDED IMPORTANCE. IT IS A GREAT CENTRE OF INTERNATIONAL TRADE AND COMMERCE AND A GATEWAY TO CHINA. NEW TOWNS HAVE RISEN WHERE THERE WERE PREVIOUSLY FIELDS, HILLS OR THE SEA AND THE WORK WHICH IS GOING ON TO BUILD THE HONG KONG OF TOMORROW IS EVERYWHERE TO BE SEEN. IN THE DAYS AND WEEKS AHEAD SHALL BE DOING ALL I CAN TO SEE THESE PLANS AND

DEVELOPMENTS FOR MYSELF.

Confidential