TNAG-1859-FCO40-2634-Legislative-Council-of-Hong-Kong-memoranda-and-minutes-of-me-1989 — Page 70

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8.

The Chinese

Government has given repeated

assurances that its policy towards Hong Kong has not

changed. It has also stressed that economic reform and

openness to the outside world remain fundamental

priorities. Both of these are important and welcome

messages for Hong Kong. We for our part have made it clear

to the Chinese Government that action is needed to restore

confidence

in the arrangements for Hong Kong's future. We

need to restore mutual trust as the necessary cornerstone

for the unprecedented political experiment that will begin

1997, the foundations for which must be laid securely in

the next eight years.

in

(b) Emigration

9.

in

In

the

meantime, it is clear that more Hong Kong

people now feel a need to hedge their bets Or seek

insurance policies overseas. The Government predicted

earlier this year that 42,000 people would leave Hong Kong

1989. This estimate remains valid. But emigration levels

are likely to be higher in the next few years. As always,

precisely how many will leave depends not only on events

here and in China but also on the immigration policies of

the countries that people wish to go to.

/10.

I

60'd

S'I'O SO:LT TT-01-686T