U.S. and Hong Kong (1985-1997)

SECRETARY ALBRIGHT NEWS CONFERENCE JAN. 24, 1997

Following is the State Department transcript:

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FIRST NEWS CONFERENCE WITH SECRETARY OF STATE MADELEINE ALBRIGHT

THE STATE DEPARTMENT
WASHINGTON, DC
1:47 P.M. EST
FRIDAY, JANUARY 24, 1997

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Q: Madame Secretary, you have stated the importance of China on the U.S. agenda and the fact that the United States wants to integrate, not isolate China. The trends in Hong Kong, though, seem to be increasingly ominous. How do you intend to structure a relationship with China given the fact that Hong Kong seems inevitably to be an irritant if not a worse problem?

A: Carol, you've stated it correctly that I have indicated the importance of our relationship with China, and the President has made that very clear. We are not going to agree on everything that involves our relationship with China.

I stated during my confirmation hearings that I would tell it like it is to the American people and to whatever foreign leaders I deal with. I will tell it like it is on the human rights issues and on Hong Kong to the Chinese when I meet with them.

I think the important point here is that we understand the importance of Hong Kong as it reverts to China; that it has to be done in a way where the civil and human rights of the people who live in Hong Kong are respected. May I say parenthetically, this morning my first phone call from a foreign leader was from Malcolm Rifkind -- very appropriate given our special relationship. We talked about the issue of Hong Kong as one of the ones that we would have to address ourselves to.

I think it's important on the overall relationship with China to understand that it is a multi-faceted relationship. It cannot be held hostage to any one issue. We have a set of issues that we deal with with the Chinese, and we have some very positive relations with them and cooperation, for instance, on the issue of North Korea or Cambodia or CTBT/NPT. But there are some on which we differ, and human rights is one of them.

We have made clear that what happens in Hong Kong is very important to the overall relationship.

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