TNAG-2352-FCO40-3422-Visits-by-Lord-Caithness--Minister-of-State-for-Foreign-and--1991 — Page 81

FCO40 Hong Kong Department Records 聯邦事務部香港部檔案 All

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FM HONG KONG

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INFO ROUTINE BTC HONG KONG, UKREP JLG HONG KONG

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MIPT: VISIT OF LORD CAITHNESS: VISION 2047.

VISION 2047 WAS FORMED BY A GROUP OF LONG-TERM HONG KONG RESIDENTS COMMITTED TO THE FUTURE PROSPERITY OF THEIR CITY. THE MEMBERS ARE PROMINENT PROFESSIONALS AND BUSINESS PEOPLE WITH DIVERSE INTERNATIONAL BACKGROUNDS. THEY ALL HAVE THE OPTION TO SEEK THE RIGHT OF ABODE ELSEWHERE, BUT CHOOSE TO REMAIN IN HONG KONG. FUNDS TO SUPPORT THE GROUP'S EFFORTS ARE CONTRIBUTED BY MEMBERS AND OTHER COMMITTED INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE CONFIDENT ABOUT HONG KONG'S FUTURE. VISION 2047 HAS NO AFFILIATION TO ANY LOCAL POLITICAL PARTY OR TO GOVERNMENT BODIES IN HONG KONG, CHINA, OR

BRITAIN.

THE IMPETUS FOR THE GROUP'S FORMATION WAS THE SHARED CONCERN THAT WITH THE APPROACH OF 1997, BUSINESS COMMUNITIES OVERSEAS HAD ''WRITTEN OFF HONG KONG, DOUBTING ITS VIABILITY UNDER CHINESE SOVEREIGNTY. SENSATIONALIST PRESS AND A LACK OF UNDERSTANDING OF HOW HONG KONG WILL BE GOVERNED AS A SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION (SAR) OF CHINA COMPOUNDED THE CITY'S INCREASINGLY NEGATIVE IMAGE ABROAD. SCEPTICISM OVER HONG KONG'S FUTURE AMONG THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY WAS FURTHER INCREASED BY THE EVENTS IN

BEIJING ON JUNE 4. 1989.

WHILE ACKNOWLEDGING HONG KONG'S PROBLEMS, VISION 2047 SUBSCRIBES TO THE VIEW THAT CHINA WILL HONOUR ITS COMMITMENTS UNDER THE SINO-BRITISH AGREEMENT OF 1984 AND BELIEVES THAT HONG KONG WILL CONTINUE TO PLAY A VITAL ROLE AS A MAJOR INTERNATIONAL CENTRE FOR BUSINESS AND TRADE. THE AGREEMENT GUARANTEES HONG KONG A PERIOD OF 50 YEARS OF AUTONOMY AFTER 1997 IN ITS CAPITALIST ECONOMIC SYSTEM AND WAY OF LIFE. THE NAME VISION 2047 EMPHASIZES THE PERIOD OF AUTONOMY AND THIS 'ECONOMIC DATE.

VISION 2047 HAS BROUGHT ITS MESSAGE TO BUSINESS AND PROFESSION FORUMS IN HONG KONG AND ABROAD BY MEANS OF A SLIDE PRESENTATION ENTITLED, HONG KONG AND THE FUTURE,'' WHICH PROVIDES A BALANCED REVIEW OF HONG KONG'S ROLE IN THE REGION, ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH

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