Governor Chris Patten yesterday described Chinese Foreign Minister Qian Qichen's recent remarks on limiting freedom of expression and assembly as 'wholly at odds' with the Joint Declaration.
Leaving for Britain last night for regular duty visits, Mr Patten said he would talk to Prime Minister John Major and Foreign Secretary Malcolm Rifkind next week about Mr Qian's statement.
Mr Qian told the Asian Wall Street Journal this week that June 4 protests and personal attacks against Chinese leaders would not be allowed after the handover.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry later claimed Mr Qian had been misinterpreted.
But Mr Patten said Mr Qian's remarks appeared to be deliberate.
'They were, I think, issued as a translation by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs itself. So I don't think there can be any suggestion that somehow the newspaper in question garbled the remarks in translation,' he said.
Mr Patten said the remarks were unsettling and appeared 'wholly at odds' with the Joint Declaration.