1988-01-25 18:37 COMMS. OFFICE (GOV'T HSE)
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852 5 845 0995 P.04
turn to the
That is by way of context. I should now like to
subject of Hong Kong's relationship with
Ching. This, after all, is the hot topic at the root of
much of the recent political debate. Like a lot of debate
on hot topics, I am afraid, it tends to generate more heat
than light.
Let us first consider the facts.
Hong Kong is indisputably a Chinese city. It is
ethnically and geographically part of China. Its progress
and its prosperity are largely the result of the energy,
talent and hard work of its Chinese population. But the
Indispensable foundation for this success has been the rule
of law, based on the British common law system. This has
given everyone in Hong Kong a reasonable degree of
certainty in their relations with those in authority, and a
credible guarantee that their right to life, liberty and
the enjoyment of the fruits of their labours will not be
arbitrarily withdrawn.
Hong Kong is governed now as it has always been,
on the fundamental principle of the rule of low. It will
continue to be the fundamental principle of British
administration. Furthermore, its survival after 1997 is
set out clearly in the Sino-British Joint Declaration the
main theme of which is the preservation of those areas of
legal, social and economic organization that distinguish
Hong Kong from China.
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