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Following is the transcript of the meet-the-media session by the Chief Executive, Mr Tung Chee Hwa, this (Wednesday) morning after officiating at the Ceremony to commemorate those who died in the defence of Hong Kong:

Reporter: This is the first ceremony since the handover honouring all the war dead. A universal ceremony. So, what's the change to make this acceptable? Is it still too politically sensitive to hold this war dead ceremony on armistice day in August?

Mr Tung: In August?

Reporter: Yes, the Sino-Japanese War Victory Day when all these veterans can be commemorated on the day that...

Mr Tung: We have chosen this particular day, which is in Chinese called "Chung Yeung Festival". It is a day when we pay our respect to those who are close to us, who are elders who passed away. And we felt that this was a very appropriate day to hold the ceremony, and this is why we are doing it on this particular day.

Reporter: Is the other date too politically sensitive?

Mr Tung: Well, I think there is one day to do it and we have chosen this particular day to do it, and we'll do the same thing in the future every year.

Reporter: Mr Tung, at the time of economic crisis, quite a lot of comments to the effect that you have not been out and about to be seen visibly to preach as much as you might... what is your response to that criticism?

Mr Tung: I see a lot of people every day. I said in the legislature, in the question-and-answer session that I spent two and a half hours on an average every day, meeting people of all walks of life from Hong Kong, as well as visitors from overseas. Even today, on a holiday, I'll meet a few people. So I feel I am totally in touch with a population, with the people at large in Hong Kong and overseas. And on top of that, the Policy Address is the work of the Government as a whole, and all my colleagues in the Government contact the people in the whole of the community in a very comprehensive manner. So I would think we do hear the voices of the people very clearly.

Reporter: Mr Tung, have you fixed the time when you will be meeting with Mr Patten? What will you be discussing?

Mr Tung: I shall be meeting Mr Pattan on Friday. This is, of course, a private visit of Mr Patten, and I am looking forward to chatting with him as friends would about different things.

Reporter: Mr Tung, do you see a time when the Japanese guests will be invited to join in the ceremony similar to today's?

Mr Tung: I would think so, because, you know, we need to learn lessons of the past. But we also need to bury the past and not be the slaves of the past. Thank you.

Transcript of Chief Executive's media session (Chinese)

End/Wednesday, October 28, 1998

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