TNAG-2033-FCO40-2896-Visit-by-Douglas-Hurd--Secretary-of-State-for-Foreign-and-Co-1990 — Page 160

T

нив

RECEIVER B 026/3

IN D

0 8 FEB 1990

Ma Mỹ

Mom's,

pa. 2311

HKD

85

1

DESK OFFICER

INDEX

اليا

Thank

hord Brabazon

HY

Taken WAS

you. grateful

for

your support. Rokylour (PS/ und Bretum)

With permission, Mr Speaker, I shall make a statement

on my visit to Hong Kong from 13 to 16 January.

1/1

I went to show this country's continuing commitment to

Hong Kong; to meet a representative cross section of

the community and to discuss the issues of prime

importance to Hong Kong in the period before 1997:

these are the operation of the nationality package

which I proposed to the House on 20 December and the

pace and extent of democratisation in Hong Kong.

I also discussed the problem of the Vietnamese boat

people and visited a refugee camp and a camp at which

boat people are screened for refugee status.

Hong Kong has become the world's eleventh largest

trading entity because of the unique combination of

British administration and justice and the talent and

energy of its people. The immediate sense of fear

caused by the events in China last June has lifted but

these events did deal a substantial blow to Hong Kong's

self confidence and the exodus of the talent which is

needed to keep Hong Kong prosperous has continued.

We believe it is vital that these people should stay.

Everyone to whom I spoke (in the Executive and

Legislative Councils, one of the District Boards, the

business community, public servants and other groups)

/had hoped that