people; and there would be no Bill of Rights. [We wrestled with all these problems, and took the decisions which we believe to be in the best interests of the people of Hong Kong
But we do not treat Hong Kong as if its future could be separated from the future of China. That would be self-indulgent and shortsighted. We will not help the people of Hong Kong by refusing to have anything to do with China's leaders. At bottom we and the Chinese have similar interests in seeing Hong Kong prosperous, stable and dynamic. We, because of our responsibility for the people of Hong Kong and our long and strong commercial stake; the Chinese, because of the contribution which Hong Kong can make to China's
modernisation.][China has a major economic stake in
preserving the phenomenon of Hong Kong. It is a vital source of hard currency and economic energy for the mainland. Much of the export industry in Guangdong province is the result of Hong Kong investment. More people now work for Hong Kong manufacturing firms in Guangdong than in Hong Kong itself. Real growth over the last ten years, even in the shadow of political uncertainty, has averaged over 7%. Per capita GNP about £7,200 per year is among the highest in the region. This tiny place is the eleventh largest trading entity in the world. The richer and more confident we leave it, the more valuable it will be to China and the better the prospect for its economic and political freedoms.
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The Sino-British Joint Declaration of 1984 established what remains the soundest available basis for Hong Kong's future. It is a binding international agreement which specifies that Hong Kong will have its
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