Speeches and Articles by Former Consul General James B. Cunningham

Remarks by James B. Cunningham
Consul General of the United States of America
Independence Day Reception
Grand Hyatt Hotel, Hong Kong
July 5, 2006

(As prepared for delivery)

Distinguished guests, my friend Henry Tang, Commissioner Lu, ladies and gentlemen,

Thank you for joining us this evening to mark the 230th anniversary of the birth of my country. Independence Day, the Fourth of July, is a profoundly American celebration. On the Fourth of July, at barbeques, parades and fireworks displays all across the United States, Americans celebrate the birth of our nation and remind ourselves of our basic political values.

Our Declaration of Independence is a remarkable document. Penned by Thomas Jefferson, it distills into two short sentences the essence of a political concept that changed the world in 1776, and even today continues to resonate and inspire people the world over:

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among them are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the Governed."

For 230 years Americans have struggled to define and achieve the reality of the many noble ideas contained in those words. On this holiday Americans celebrate the fact that they are blessed with lives of tremendous liberty. And we re-dedicate ourselves to the cause of freedom and human dignity.

It is also fitting today to express our gratitude to all Americans, past and present, who have sought to advance freedom and lay the foundations of peace. We honor and remember the sacrifices of our men and women, whether in uniform or civilian, around the world.

This evening we are pleased to celebrate with you, and I appreciate your company. Over the past year, I have spoken about the values and interests that Hong Kong and the United States share: individual freedoms, respect and tolerance, the rule of law, and the power of free markets. Our governments work well together, as do our business and academic and scientific communities. I am confident that cooperation will continue to grow and to contribute to the well-being of this dynamic part of the world.

In the mid-1840's, one of my predecessors, Frederick Busch, complained that there was "nothing of much interest" to report from the territory and that no American ships had called in Hong Kong's port for months. Today, we have a great deal to report: billions of dollars in trade and investment, a healthy dialogue, a steady stream of educational and other exchanges, a million U.S. visitors and nearly 50 port calls by U.S. Naval vessels annually. Our cooperation on commerce, trade, law enforcement, counter-terrorism and security, health and, most recently, air pollution, helps make the United States, Hong Kong, and this entire region more prosperous and more secure.

Independence Day is also a time to have fun. I hope you will enjoy yourselves tonight and sample the food typical of some of the regions of the United States. We are serving American wine of course, and in addition we have a special "Taste of California" table with a selection to sample. Please stop by.

I want to say a special "thank you" to the many sponsors from the American business community -- they are listed on your program -- whose support is crucial to this evening's festivities. We greatly appreciate your contributions to Hong Kong, and to U.S. - Hong Kong relations.

Now, it's my pleasure to propose a toast: to the people of the People's Republic of China and the people of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. May the future bring ever more prosperity, and a continued, expanding partnership between our peoples as we work for a world that is increasingly safe and just.

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