- Title: CHINA: BRITISH PRIME MINISTER TONY BLAIR ARRIVES IN HONG KONG
- Date: 22nd July 2003
- Summary: (W5) HONG KONG, CHINA (JULY 22, 2003) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. WIDE OF BRITISH AIRWAYS PLANE ON TARMAC IN HONG KONG 0.10 2. SLV GROUND STAFF ARRANGING RED CARPET AT FOOT OF PLANE'S STAIRS 0.15 3. SMV HONG KONG OFFICIALS WAITING 0.22 4. WIDE OF PLANE ON TARMAC 0.26 5. VARIOUS, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER TONY BLAIR AND WIFE CHERIE WALKING DOWN STAIRS OF PLANE AND BEING GREETED 1.01 6. SLV SECURITY PERSONNEL ON TARMAC 1.05 7. SLV TONY BLAIR AND CHERIE WALKING ACROSS TARMAC WITH CHINESE DIGNITARIES 1.23 8. SMV CHINESE SECURITY 1.31 9. SLV CAR, TRANSPORTING THE BLAIRS, LEAVING TARMAC 1.36 10. VARIOUS, CONVOY OF OFFICIAL CARS LEAVING AIRPORT 1.55 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 6th August 2003 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: HONG KONG, CHINA
- Country: Hong Kong
- Reuters ID: LVAA8HJ54PYDAE74AK52GFVZ4N2M
- Story Text: British Prime Minister Tony Blair has arrived in Hong
Kong after wrapping up his visit to mainland China.
Blair arrived in Hong Kong on Tuesday (July 22) after
trying to strengthen trade ties in mainland China.
Blair is expected to lend a sympathetic ear to calls for
more democracy in the former British colony of Hong Kong after
getting grilled by Chinese students in Shanghai over the war
in Iraq.
But his Far East tour, which included Japan and South
Korea, has been overshadowed by the suicide of a British
defence expert that has rocked his government and sparked
calls for him to quit.
In a tough question-and-answer session on Tuesday (July
22), top Chinese students pressed Blair to justify the war and
about the mysterious death of David Kelly.
Blair defended his decision to attack Iraq and said he had
no regrets, adding he had no doubt that Iraq had been
developing weapons of mass destruction.
China opposed the war on Iraq, a stance reflected in the
line of questioning from the students, who asked how sure he
could be there were weapons of mass destruction and objected
to the notion of a country invading another state to liberate
its people.
But there were light moments, including a song from
Blair's wife, and many students praised him as eloquent and
persuasive.
Aboard his plane to Hong Kong Blair denied to reporters
that he had authorised the leaking of Kelly's name to the
media days before his body was found and said the government
had acted properly throughout the entire affair.
He also said China had indicated a second round of talks
on the North Korean nuclear crisis was likely in a few weeks.
China brokered talks in April between the U.S. and North
Korea.
Blair said states like North Korea could not be allowed to
develop nuclear programmes while its people starved, but he
said invasion was not an option.
Blair also said on Tuesday (July 22) that he thought
China's new leadership was showing flexibility over policy
governing Hong Kong, which was rocked by mass protests this
month denouncing the local government and its planned
anti-subversion bill.
Fearing it could be used as a base for subversion against
it, Beijing has been pressing Hong Kong to pass the security
law as required by its constitution, known as the Basic Law.
Under the handover agreement between London and Beijing,
Hong Kong was guaranteed a high degree of autonomy for 50
years, though many critics say there has been a subtle erosion
of freedoms since the end of British rule.
Political turmoil in Hong Kong has brought one of the most
historically sensitive chapters of Sino-British ties back onto
the agenda. The two sides spent the years since the 1997
handover trying to redefine relations in terms of trade and
investment.
Blair will meet pro-democracy legislators on Wednesday
evening (July 23) and embattled Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa
on Thursday (July 24) before leaving the territory.
Blair, who promised Hong Kong people six years ago that he
would continue to speak out for their rights, called on Monday
for more democracy in the Chinese-run city.
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