TNAG-1621-FCO40-2235-Relations-between-Hong-Kong-and-China-1987 — Page 5

ANSWER. IN MY OPINION, THE PERSONNEL CHANGES AND THE OPPOSITION TO BOURGEOIS LIBERALISATION WILL NOT HAVE ANY EFFECT ON THE DRAFTING OF

THE BASIC LAW FOR THE SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION OF HONG KONG.

THE DRAFTING OF THE BASIC LAW IS BEING JCARRIED OUT SYSTEMATICALLY

AND SMOOTHLY ACCORDING TO ESTABLISHED PLANS. AT THE MOMENT THE

VARIOUS SMALL GROUPS ARE WORKING VERY HARD TO PREPARE FOR THE

CONVENING IN APRIL OF THE FOURTH PLENARY SESSION OF THE BASIC LAW

DRAFTING COMMITTEE. I AM VERY PLEASE TO SEE THAT BOTH THE MAINLAND

MEMBERS OF THE DRAFTING COMMITTEE AND THE HONG KONG MEMBERS OF IT

HAVE TAKEN A HIGHLY RESPONSIBLE AND SERIOUS ATTITUDE AND HAVE, IN

ACCORDANCE WITH THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT'S POLICIES TOWARDS HONG KONG,

BASED ON DEMOCRATIC DISCUSSIONS AND A SPIRIT OF MUTUAL RESPECT AND UNDERSTANDING, ACTIVELY TAKEN PART IN DISCUSSIONS AND PRODUCED SUGGESTIONS AND HAVE REACHED A COMMON UNDERSTANDING ON MANY

QUESTIONS. ON SOME QUESTIONS IT HAS NOT BEEN POSSIBLE TO REACH UNANIMITY FOR THE TIME BEING BUT WEDCAN CONTINUE TO SEEK A SOLUTION

TO THEM THROUGH DEMOCRATIC DISCUSSIONS. I BELIEVE THAT BY THE COMMON EFFORTS OF THE WHOLE COMMITTEE WE CAN PRODUCE A FIRST DRAFT

OF THE BASIC LAW BY 1990.

QUESTION. WILL THE PERSONNEL CHANGES AND THE OPPOSITION TO

BOURGEOIS LIBERALISATION HAVE ANY EFFECT ON THE CO-OPERATION BETWEEN

BRITAIN AND CHINA IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE JOINT DECLARATION ?.

ANSWER. NO - THEY WILL NOT INFLUENCE THE CO-OPERATION BETWEEN

BRITAIN AND CHINA IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE JOINT DECLARATION.

THE JOINT DECLARATION BETWEEN BRITAIN AND CHINA ON THE QUESTION OF

HONG KONG HAS BEEN SIGNED FOR 2 YEARS AND THE TWO COUNTRIES' GOVERNMENTS HAVE WORKED WELL TOGETHER IN IMPLEMENTING IT. THE

SINO-BRITISH JOINT LIAISON GROUP HAS ACHIEVED OUTSTANDING RESULTS

AND HAS DISCUSSED AND SOLVED A SERIES OF IMPORTANT PROBLEMS SUCH AS

THE QUESTION OF HONG KONG'S POSITION IN THE GATT, THE QUESTION OF HONG KONG'S POSITION IN THE ASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK, THE QUESTION OF TRAVEL DOCUMENTS FOR HONG KONG RESIDENTS, THE QUESTION OF

ARRANGEMENTS BETWEEN HONG KONG AND OTHEWR COUNTRIES AND REGIONS OVER

AIR SERVICE AGREEMENTS, THE QUESTION OF HONG KONG'S ESTABLISHING AN INDEPENDENT SHIPPING REGISTER, THE QUESTION OF PENSIONS FOR HONG KONG GOVERNMENT SERVANTS AND SO ON. THE SINO-BRITISH LAND

COMMISSION HAS ALSO ACHIEVED EXCELLENT RESULTS AND HAS SETTLED THE

QUESTION OF LAND CONTRACTS EXTENDING BEYOND 1997 AND OTHER RELATED

PROBLEMS. PEOPLE IN ALL CIRCLES OF HONG KONG HAVE EXPRESSED

SATISFACTION OVER THE EXCELLENT RESULTS OF THE FRIENDLY CO-OPERATION

BETWEEN CHINA AND BRITAIN AND IT HAS STRENGTHENED THEIR CONFIDENCE

IN THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG. I BELIEVE THAT THIS REALATIONSHIP OF

FRIENDLY CO-OPERATION BETWEEN CHINA AND BRITAIN OVER THE

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