HL Deb 12 February 1996 vol 569 cc35-6WA
Lord Willoughby de Broke

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What subjects were discussed during the recent visit by the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to Hong Kong and Beijing; and what were the results of those discussions.

Baroness Chalker of Wallasey:

As was stated by my right honourable friend the Minister of State, the member for Richmond and Barnes, in another place on 22 January, my right honourable and learned friend the Foreign Secretary visited Hong Kong and China from 6 to 11 January. In Hong Kong he met the Governor, members of the Legislative and Executive Councils, senior Hong Kong Government and British officials, and business and community figures. This gave him an invaluable opportunity to hear at first hand the views and concerns of the people of Hong Kong about their future.

My right honourable and learned friend was warmly received in Beijing and held frank and constructive discussions with President Jiang Zemin, Premier Li Peng, Vice Premier Qian Qichen, and the Director of the State Council Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, Lu Ping. The Foreign Secretary's discussions gave him an opportunity to describe to Chinese leaders the mood in Hong Kong and to discuss with them ways of maintaining confidence there. We made substantial progress on several specific issues. The Chinese assured the Foreign Secretary of their commitment to a successful transition and to the preservation of a high degree of autonomy for Hong Kong after 30 June 1997.

We also agreed to develop further our bilateral links in all areas: political economic and commercial. As part of this dialogue, the Foreign Secretary registered our concerns over reports of human rights abuses and urged China to address these issues quickly and openly.