Your excellency Chairman Deng Xiaoping, your excellency President Li Xiannian, your excellency ladies and gentlemen:
This is an historical occasion. And I am particularly pleased to see that Chairman Deng Xiaoping is able to be present. The Joint Declaration on the future of Hong Kong, which we have just signed on behalf of our two Governments, is a landmark in the life of the territory; in the course of Anglo-Chinese relations; and in the history of international diplomacy. The Agreement establishes a firm basis for confidence in Hong Kong up to 1997 and beyond, and for its continued stability, prosperity and growth.
I remember with pleasure my last visit to China in September 1982 and my discussions with Chinese leaders. At my meeting with Chairman Ding Xiaoping on that occasion we agree to open talks on the future of Hong Kong. Our common aim was to maintain the territory's optimism and prosperity. It is in a spirit of pride and of optimism about the future that I now return to sign the agreement which is the result of those talks.
I think you will agree that the negotiations were not always easy. At certain points there were difficult decisions to be made on both sides. There were moments of tension. To overcome these difficulties we needed to draw on a shared fund of goodwill; on friendship; and on a common commitment to Hong Kong's future. This was what made success possible. I should like to pay tribute to the dedication of the two negotiating teams and all their supporting staff, under the guidance of Sir Geoffrey Owe and State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wu Xueqian. It is thanks to the imagination and resource, which they showed that we could sign an agreement today.
The Agreement fully meets the political requirements of Britain and China, as well as the interests of the Hong Kong people. It provides the framework in which, as a Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, Hong Kong will maintain its economy system and way of life for 50 years after the first of July 1997. It gives Hong Kong a high degree of autonomy; Hong Kong people will administer Hong Kong and the Special Administrative Region will pass its own legislation. It allows Hong Kong to continue to decide its own economic, financial and trade policies and to participate in international organizations and agreements. It preserves Hong Kong's familiar legal system and the rights and freedoms enjoyed there. In short it provides the assurances for the future which Hong Kong needs, in order to continue to play its unique role in the world as a trading and financial centre.
尊敬的中國(guó)國(guó)家領(lǐng)導(dǎo)人鄧小平、李先念、各位貴賓:
這是一個(gè)具有歷史意義的時(shí)刻。鄧小平主席能夠光臨,我感到特別高興。剛才我們分別代表各自的政府簽署的關(guān)于香港前途的聯(lián)合聲明,在香港的生活中,在 英中關(guān)系的歷程中以及國(guó)際外交史上都是一個(gè)里程碑。這個(gè)協(xié)議為從現(xiàn)在起到1997年和1997年以后這段時(shí)期保持對(duì)香港的信心以及為繼續(xù)保持香港的穩(wěn)定、 繁榮和發(fā)展奠定了堅(jiān)實(shí)的基礎(chǔ)。
我愉快地回憶起我1982年9月對(duì)中國(guó)的訪問(wèn)以及我同中國(guó)領(lǐng)導(dǎo)人的會(huì)談。那次我會(huì)見(jiàn)鄧小平主席時(shí),我們同意就香港前途開(kāi)始會(huì)談。我們共同的目的是維護(hù)香港的穩(wěn)定和繁榮。正是本著自豪和對(duì)前途充滿樂(lè)觀的精神,我再次來(lái)到北京簽署作為會(huì)談成果的這項(xiàng)協(xié)議。
談判并非都很順利,我想你們會(huì)同意這一看法。有時(shí)雙方要做出決定都很困難,有時(shí)也出現(xiàn)緊張氣氛。為了克服這些困難,我們需要依靠雙方共同的誠(chéng) 意、友情和對(duì)香港前途共同承擔(dān)義務(wù)。這是取得成功的原因。我謹(jǐn)對(duì)在杰弗理·豪爵士和國(guó)務(wù)委員兼外交部長(zhǎng)吳學(xué)謙指導(dǎo)下的兩個(gè)談判代表團(tuán)及其全體工作人員的忘 我工作表示敬意。正是由于他們表現(xiàn)出的創(chuàng)造力和智慧,我們今天才得以簽署這個(gè)協(xié)議。
這項(xiàng)協(xié)議完全符合英中兩國(guó)的政治要求和香港人民的利益。它提供了一個(gè)框架,香港作為中華人民共和國(guó)的一個(gè)特別行政區(qū),在1997年7月1日以后 的50年中,香港人民將管理香港,特別行政區(qū)將制定自己的法律。協(xié)議允許香港繼續(xù)制訂自己的經(jīng)濟(jì)、財(cái)政和貿(mào)易政策,并適當(dāng)?shù)貐⒓訃?guó)際組織和協(xié)議。它保持了 香港所熟悉的法律制度及其享有的權(quán)利和自由??傊瑓f(xié)議為香港的未來(lái)提供了所需要的保證,使香港能繼續(xù)作為貿(mào)易和金融中心在世界上發(fā)揮獨(dú)特的作用。