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The following is the transcript of remarks (English portion) by the Chief Executive, Mr Donald Tsang, at a Q&A session held at the FCO in London today (November 2, London time):
Question: Could you give us a flavour of your talks with Tony Blair today? Did you have even an inkling that the UK is still interested in Hong Kong, and interested in keeping China to its word on the Joint Declaration?
Chief Executive: We spoke for quite a substantial period of time. I updated him on the present day situation in Hong Kong. Then he told me how he was impressed by the way in which Hong Kong matters have been handled well by the Central People's Government, and by the Hong Kong SAR Government since reunification – despite all the challenges that we have faced. He then said that there was continuous progress being made on democratisation.
I took the opportunity of telling him about the latest package on constitutional development and he noted that. I also reminded him about the potential for Hong Kong as the best platform for trade for British businessmen into the large Mainland market. He told me that he had led a delegation into the Mainland in September, but he did not make use of the opportunity to pass through Hong Kong. I reminded him of the potential of Hong Kong and what we could do and offer, and the irreplaceable facilities that Hong Kong provides in establishing any commercial relationship with the Mainland. He took that on board.
We discussed at length about the ministerial meeting of the WTO to be held in Hong Kong in December. I told them that there would be a critical meeting being held in London next Monday, November 7, involving the United States, the European Union, India and Brazil, which will hopefully sort out the agricultural package, which is critical. It is a litmus test on the success of the coming ministerial meeting. He took that very much on board and he said that he would see the negotiators and put to them the importance he attached to the success of the ministerial meeting. He hoped very much that the Hong Kong meeting would be a great success.
We also talked about how we are able to improve the bilateral commercial relationship. I suggested more ministerial meetings and I also suggested perhaps the visiting initiative, when we talked about the abolition of double taxation agreement. These are the things we discussed.
Question: In relation to the situation in Hong Kong,....is saying that a precise timetable for a full democracy in Hong Kong would be illegal. Do you agree with that view?
Chief Executive: I do not want to discuss the constitutionality of any particular move. It is a matter for the courts and the NPC Standing Committee. I would suggest that what we have put forward as a package is a good package. It is a package that will take us much nearer to the final destination of universal suffrage. It is a package supported by a majority of Hong Kong people, given the circumstances that we are in. I hope very much that the debate will go on. We will continue discussing in any case the way forward, beyond this package, in the relevant panel of the Strategic Development Commission, which I shall be chairing. These matters will be tackled in any case.
Question: How would you assess the likelihood that the WTO meeting in December might not go ahead?
Chief Executive: It will go ahead.
Question (Francis): On what would you base that confidence?
Chief Executive: From the efforts being made by all parties concerned and by the effort we have made in Hong Kong, and by the fact that we are organising it and pulling all these things together. Our Secretary for Commerce, Industry and Technology has been travelling all over the globe. He was in Kenya, in Zambia, in the Caribbean and he was all over Europe. He is now in the Caribbean and he is going to fly back to Africa again. He has been putting all his strength and energies into this and he has the backing of the entire cabinet in Hong Kong and of myself. We are going to make it a success.
Question: Jolly good.
Chief Executive: On the democratisation front, progress has always been made since reunification.
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript)
Ends/Thursday, November 3, 2005
Issued at HKT 12:05
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