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Following is the English portion of the transcript of the media session by the Acting Chief Executive, Mrs Anson Chan, at the Central Government Offices this (Tuesday) evening:

Mrs Chan : Can I say that I am delighted that Miss Cheung Man-yee has agreed to be our Principal Representative in Japan. As you know this is an important posting because Tokyo is one of our main trading partners. Miss Cheung is an extremely capable officer, as you all know her contribution to Radio Hong Kong and to upholding press freedom and freedom of expression. Everybody knows her contribution in this respect and I am sure that based on her rich experience, she will be the most capable ambassador on behalf of Hong Kong and I wish her every success in her new job. I do want to stress because I realise that there may be some concerns on this front. I want to stress that the fact that Miss Cheung is leaving Radio Hong Kong does not indicate in any way that the Government wishes to change the daily operation of Radio Hong Kong. Radio Hong Kong will continue to function as it has always done. The Government will continue to respect press freedom and freedom of expression and we will particularly respect the editorial independence of Radio Hong Kong. It has been our policy for quite a few years that whenever an opportunity arises, whereby an able officer is able to take on a new job, a new challenge, we will always consider such officer for such appointment. And for Miss Cheung on this particular occasion, this is a D6 posting. So in her case, it is a promotion.

Reporter: Mrs Chan, you said that she has gone to uphold freedom of press and independence in Hong Kong. Now, don't you think that the timing of the move would give an indication that it is a ...

Mrs Chan : Can you suggest a better timing? Miss Cheung has been in her present post for some thirteen years. And as I said, we have to consider new postings for capable officers when an opportunity arises. She has expressed an interest in overseas postings and this posting, this vacancy, has come up and we thought this would be an extremely good occasion to give Miss Cheung a new job, a new challenge, which she herself has said that she welcomes. I have addressed your concerns about editorial independence of Radio Hong Kong and freedom of expression earlier on. And I do wish to assure the community and members of our Legislature that they have absolutely no need to worry on this front. I think any suggestion that freedom of expression is dead or press freedom is dead, is not only a totally unfounded and unfair criticism, but also an insult, I might add, to whoever is going to succeed Miss Cheung as Director of Broadcasting and to the rest of Radio Hong Kong Staff.

Acting Chief Executive's transcript (Chinese Part)

End/Tuesday, October 19, 1999

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