TNAG-2608-FCO40-3799-International-support-from-the-USA-regarding-the-future-of-H-1992 — Page 77

IN HONG KONG.

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THE U.S. ALSO HAS A DEEP INTEREST IN PROTECTING HUMAN

RIGHTS IN HONG KONG, AS WE DO THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.

BECAUSE

HONG KONG RESIDENTS HAVE LONG ENJOYED RESPECT FOR THEIR BASIC

HUMAN RIGHTS, THIS ASPECT OF THE TRANSITION MERITS THE SPECIAL

ATTENTION OF THE UNITED STATES AND THE WORLD.

U.S. POLICY TOWARD HONG KONG

WE ARE NOT HERE TODAY TO DISCUSS MFN FOR CHINA, BUT I WOULD

BE REMISS IF I DID NOT POINT OUT THAT THIS IS THE SINGLE MOST

IN IMPORTANT U.S. TRADE POLICY MEASURE AFFECTING HONG KONG.

VIEW OF THE INCREASINGLY CLOSE ECONOMIC INTEGRATION OF HONG

KONG AND SOUTH CHINA, THE U.S. CANNOT IMPOSE PROHIBITIVE

TARIFFS ON CHINESE GOODS AND IMAGINE THAT HONG KONG WOULD

ESCAPE THE INEVITABLE SERIOUS ECONOMIC CONSEQUENCES.

THOUSANDS OF HONG KONG WORKERS WOULD LOSE THEIR JOBS AND

BUSINESS CONFIDENCE WOULD SUSTAIN TREMENDOUS DAMAGE. STEP WOULD BE INCONSISTENT WITH CONGRESS' CONCERN FOR HONG KONG.

TENS OF

SUCH A

THAT CONCERN HAS, BEFORE TODAY, MANIFESTED ITSELF IN

CONGRESSIONAL PASSAGE, WITH ADMINISTRATION SUPPORT, OF

PROVISIONS IN THE IMMIGRATION ACT OF 1990 WHICH WERE

SPECIFICALLY DIRECTED AT HONG KONG. THESE MEASURES ENSURED

THAT HONG KONG WOULD NOT BE AMALGAMATED INTO CHINA'S

IMMIGRATION QUOTA IN 1997. THE PROVISIONS ASSISTED IN CREATING

AN IMMIGRATION "SAFETY NET" FOR HONG KONG BY ALLOWING MOST

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