PRESIDENT Bill Clinton yesterday urged China not to violate the 1984 Joint Declaration, while his administration remained concertedly vague on what it would do to defend Hong Kong's way of life.
The comments by Mr Clinton, after he sat in for 25 minutes during Martin Lee Chu-ming's meeting with Vice-President Al Gore, suggested he had been impressed with the visitor's case.
'I think the US has to make it clear that Hong Kong is important to us, the people of Hong Kong are important,' Mr Clinton said later.
'The agreement made in 1984 by China and Great Britain, which they sought the support of the US on when president Reagan was here, clearly commits China to not only the economic liberties, but also the political and civil liberties of the people of Hong Kong.
'Our policy is that the agreement was a good one when we said we supported it in 1984. It's a good one in 1997 and it ought to be honoured.' But Mr Clinton adopted a careful line when asked what he would do if Beijing appeared to break its commitments to the territory, calling the question 'hypothetical'.
'We believe it's an important matter, and we expect that they will live up to their agreement. And it is our policy - strong policy - that they should,' he said.