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

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
July 1, 1997

PRESS BRIEFING BY MIKE MCCURRY

The Briefing Room

1:24 P.M. EDT

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Q: Mike, Hong Kong is now part of China. What is the picture of China under red flag and also, is next Taiwan?

MR. MCCURRY: I'm not sure I understood the question. What's the --

Q: Some believe that next China may try to take over Taiwan.

MR. MCCURRY: The status of Taiwan is clear in the Taiwan Relations Act and in the two communiques, and we believe adherence to the communiques should be sought by all parties, should be continued by all parties.

Q: As a follow to that, what's your assessment of the immediate civil liberty crackdowns that have been handed down since the turnover about police powers to break up demonstrations and the like?

MR. MCCURRY: I think they've made administrative changes that were not unexpected, given the transition that's occurring. I'm not aware of any wholesale infringement on civil liberties. I haven't seen any reports to that effect.

Q: On China, just one more follow-up. If China doesn't follow what they signed on the treaty, what is the U.S. going to say?

MR. MCCURRY: I think we've made very clear our own commitment to monitoring very carefully the commitments that exist pursuant to the 1984 basic agreement, and we expect the parties to continue to adhere to the commitments that they rendered 13 years ago, and we've made it quite clear that we would not look warmly on any abrogation of the commitments that have been undertaken by the People's Republic in the basic agreement in the joint declaration.

Q: Would the President consider stopping over in Hong Kong during his trip next year to see how things have progressed?

MR. MCCURRY: I'm not aware of any planning of that nature at this point.

Q: On the Sherburne notes, doesn't the First Lady have the right to waive confidentiality for anything she testified to, so wouldn't it be under the White House power --

MR. MCCURRY: I'm not a lawyer; I'd have to check.

Q: Mike, I know this is foreign policy-speak, but what's the practical implication of "we would not look warmly on" the Chinese abrogating some of these -- how do you put that in laymen's terms?

MR. MCCURRY: I think we've communicated in a variety of ways, diplomatically, the importance we attach to a smooth transition and one that protects the unique characteristic of Hong Kong under the two systems, one China formula.

Q: -- what are the consequences?

MR. MCCURRY: Look, we have had extensive dialogue with the People's Republic on this question and the Secretary of State has for all your colleagues who were traveling with her dealt with these questions at length. I would only support what she said and what she said eloquently.

Q: You might want to note that both Jiang and Tung stated that there would be elections before May of '98.

MR. MCCURRY: Right. The United States welcomed the declaration by the new administrative authority in Hong Kong that they would proceed with elections.

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END

1:56 P.M. EDT