TNAG-2449-FCO40-3565-Legislative-Council-of-Hong-Kong-1992 — Page 142

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MDHIAN 0771

SEPTEMBER. IF CHALLENGED ON THIS POINT DURING OUR FURTHER LOBBYING ON CAPITOL HILL, WE WILL:

(A) SAY THAT HONG KONG HAS A DIRECT INTEREST IN HUMAN RIGHTS:

IN FIVE YEARS' TIME, CHINA WILL REGAIN SOVEREIGNTY OVER HONG KONG AND IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THE PRESENT WAY OF LIFE IN HONG KONG BE PRESERVED AFTER 1997, AS LAID DOWN IN THE JOINT DECLARATION: AND

(B) DEPLOY THE LINE IN PARAGRAPH 9 ABOVE.

11. AS REGARDS THE MOTION'S REFERENCE TO SEEKING SUPPORT FROM THE UK GOVERNMENT, SECRETARY FOR TRADE AND INDUSTRY WILL SAY THAT IN SPITE OF THE FACT THAT HONG KONG POSSESSES FULL AUTONOMY IN THE CONDUCT OF ITS EXTERNAL COMMERCIAL RELATIONS, THE UK GOVERNMENT HAS ALL ALONG BEEN VERY SUPPORTIVE OF HONG KONG IN RESPECT OF MFN AND, WHEN NECESSARY, HAS ON PREVIOUS OCCASIONS MADE APPROACHES TO THE U.S. ADMINISTRATION AS WELL AS MEMBERS OF THE U.S. CONGRESS

TO EXPRESS CONCERN AT THE DAMAGING IMPACT ON HONG KONG IF CHINA WERE TO LOSE ITS MFN TRADING STATUS IN THE U.S. WE WILL ALSO SAY THAT WE ARE MOST GRATEFUL FOR THE U.K. GOVERNMENT'S SUPPORT AND HAVE NO DOUBT THAT, IF NECESSARY, THE UK GOVERNMENT WILL AGAIN OFFER US EVERY ASSISTANCE IN THIS MATTER IN THE FUTURE.

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