TNAG-1900-FCO40-2699-Future-of-Hong-Kong-briefing-1989 — Page 72

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HONG KONG AND THE HONGKONG 3000 FOUNDATION

Since 1842. Hong Kong has been a British colony when the port of Victoria was established on the island, which was ceded in perpetuity. Further tracts of land were acquired, by cession in 1860 and by lease in 1898. From the beginning, the British Crown exercised all rights of sovereignty over the territory of Hong Kong. And that is the case today. In 1997, Britain has agreed to hand back sovereignty of the enure territory to China Thereafter long Kong island, Kowloon and New Territories will be part of Chinese sovereign territory. But it is the fate and well being of the people who live there that is our concein

The Sino-British Joint Declaration sigued in 1984 was a triumph of diplomacy. China promised that in resuming the exercise of sovereign power citer the long years of British rule, Hong Kong would be made a special Administrative Region which for fifty years would be allowed to continue as before with its own legal and capitalist systems and lifestyle, with a high degree of autonomy. This is the pragmatic concept of "one country, two systems".

Hong Kong is an economic miracle. Despite its miniscule size it ranks eleventh in the league of trading nations and is one of the leading financial centres of the world. It has the largest container port in the world. It is the world's largest export of watches and radios and second largest of garments and toys. In the last decai it has maintamed economic growth averaging over 8% per year. The average per capita income of its population at US$9,600 is second only to Japan in Asia. These achievements have won for Hong Kong the admiration and around the world. They are the achievements of an industriou, pogl maturak emasmitus except a deep water port. Is it any wonder that the propie og å Kong do not wish to leave a place in which they have setded and prospered?

respect of

Since the signing of the Joint Declaration, many people have weight an insurance policy in the form of a second passport so that if the promises in the Jout Declaration are not kept, they will at least have an alternative home last resort The anxious search by increasing numbers for this form id the last few years has been disruptive to the community and threats the economic growth. Some have left for good. Many families have an i

with one spouse living thousands of miles away in U.S.A., Canada on mustralia to qualify for residency It a sad to see families torn apart because the; ale

for their future.

: t

md Javait to

Hong Kong is valuable to China. It account for our hind exchange. 70% of investments in China qui oros „les seven milieu, pero, mi Gudlig dong province across the border But Hong Kong's & mutua China depend on its people. Without them, and titi ment, Hong Kong will not thrive. And it Hoog Kony useful to Ching, there will be little incentive for chi ! country, two systems".

its promise of four

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