TNAG-2912-FCO40-4187-International-support-from-Asia-regarding-the-future-of-Hong-1993 — Page 91

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034431

MDHIAN 7762

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FM SINGAPORE

TO DESKBY 06150OZ FCO

TELNO 152

OF 061214Z JULY 93

INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG, PEKING, TOKYO, ASEAN POSTS, WASHINGTON

FROM PRIVATE SECRETARY

MIPT: FOREIGN SECRETARY'S VISIT TO SINGAPORE, 5-6 JULY : CHINA/HONG KONG

1. EXTRACT FROM A SPEECH BY THE RT HON DOUGLAS HURD CBE MP, SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS, AT THE SINGAPORE INSTITUTE OF POLICY STUDIES, TUESDAY 6 JULY 1993

LET ME ALSO SAY A WORD ABOUT ANOTHER SMALL DYNAMIC ASIAN ECONOMY, OFTEN BRACKETED WITH SINGAPORE.

THERE ARE NOW JUST FOUR YEARS LEFT BEFORE THE TRANSFER OF SOVEREIGNTY OVER HONG KONG FROM BRITAIN TO CHINA. WE HAVE SERIOUS RESPONSIBILITIES, WHICH WE TAKE SERIOUSLY. FIRST TO ADMINISTER HONG KONG EFFECTIVELY OVER THE NEXT FOUR YEARS. SECOND, TO COOPERATE WITH CHINA TO ENSURE A SMOOTH TRANSITION AND CONTINUING SUCCESS FOR HONG KONG BEYOND 1997. THERE ARE MANY REASONS FOR HONG KONG'S REMARKABLE DEVELOPMENT. BUT THEY CAN BE SUMMED UP AS A COMBINATION OF THE QUALITIES OF ITS PEOPLE HELPED BY SOUND ADMINISTRATION AND RULE OF LAW.

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THE JOINT DECLARATION BETWEEN BRITAIN AND CHINA PROVIDES DETAILED ASSURANCES ABOUT THE CONTINUITY OF HONG KONG'S WAY OF LIFE AFTER 1 JULY 1997. BUT IT DID NOT IT COULD NOT - LAY DOWN A FULL BLUEPRINT. HONG KONG, LIKE OTHER SOCIETIES, IS CONSTANTLY EVOLVING. WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HAS COME POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT. THIS IS NOW PART OF THE REALITY OF

HONG KONG.

SOON AFTER CHRIS PATTEN ARRIVED IN HONG KONG HE CONCLUDED WITH THE FULL SUPPORT OF THE BRITISH CABINET - THAT WE SHOULD MEET THE WISHES OF THE HONG KONG PEOPLE FOR FURTHER MODEST STEPS FORWARD IN HONG KONG'S POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT. OUR AIM IS A SET OF ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE LAST ELECTIONS UNDER BRITISH SOVEREIGNTY WHICH ARE FAIR, OPEN AND ACCEPTABLE TO THE PEOPLE

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