TNAG-2596-FCO40-3784-Appointment-of-Chris-Patten-as-new-Governor-of-Hong-Kong--Ap-1992 — Page 106

MR PATTEN'S ARRIVAL SPEECH: CITY HALL, HONG KONG, 9 JULY

1992

I am most grateful to you, Sir David and Baroness Dunn,

for your kind words of welcome.

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the

It is a privilege and an honour to take up my responsibilities as the 28th and if God spares me last Governor of Hong Kong. In doing so, I am conscious

that I follow in the footsteps of one of the great

Governors. Lord Wilson led Hong Kong with enormous

distinction through five turbulent years. The advances

which the territory has made in those years owe much to his

careful stewardship. I know that he and Lady Wilson inspired respect and genuine affection throughout the

community.

I am not a newcomer to Hong Kong. But my family and I

have not lived here before. We have much to learn in the

months ahead. We all look forward with excitement to seeing

for ourselves the remarkable changes taking place all around

Hong Kong. Most of all, we look forward to meeting as many people as possible. It is the people of Hong Kong who have made the success story which we see all around us. And it

is the interests of the people of Hong Kong that I pledge

myself to uphold.

Hong Kong faces a unique challenge in the years ahead. Britain has launched many of her dependent territories into

independence. Some have been successful, some less so. But the circumstances of Hong Kong were different. Under the Joint Declaration, Britain is committed to bringing Hong Kong to a successful docking with the People's Republic of China in 1997. To achieve that, we shall need the closest possible working relationship with China. I look forward to

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