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

ALBRIGHT INTERVIEW ON ABC-TV'S "THIS WEEK"

"A new kind of NATO" without one single enemy

Following is the State Department transcript:

(begin transcript)

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
February 23, 1997

INTERVIEW OF
SECRETARY OF STATE MADELEINE K. ALBRIGHT
ON ABC-TV "THIS WEEK" WITH
SAM DONALDSON, COKIE ROBERTS AND GEORGE WILL

Tokyo, Japan

[ ...Intervening Text... ]

MS. ROBERTS: There's a concern, Madam Secretary, that the new government in China will crack down even more, and the first place that is obvious to look at is Hong Kong changing hands in July. If there is a crack down in Hong Kong, what do we do? What's the United States' role there?

SECRETARY ALBRIGHT: Cokie, we are obviously following very closely what is going on with Hong Kong as it reverts to China. We want the way of life that Hong Kong has had preserved -- the political rights -- and frankly, I think that the Chinese will understand that it is not to their advantage to destroy the way that Hong Kong functions. So we're all watching it very carefully, and I don't want to hypothesize about what would happen "if," but we are making quite clear -- not only we but the British and other allies -- that it is important for the reversion of Hong Kong to go smoothly and for the way of life that Hong Kong has had to continue to be preserved.

MS. ROBERTS: And if it is not?

SECRETARY ALBRIGHT: We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. The bottom line is that what we're trying to do is let the Chinese know that it is to their advantage -- and I'm sure they know this -- that having Hong Kong continue in its prosperous way as an eye to the outside world is very useful to them.

[ ...Intervening Text... ]