BEIJING does not have to worry about chaos and turmoil in Hong Kong, Governor Chris Patten said yesterday, shrugging off veiled threats that China would have to take over before 1997 to maintain order.
''I think that Chinese leaders and Chinese officials could put their hearts and minds at rest on that particular question,'' he said.
Mr Patten confirmed that he intended to go ahead and table, despite Beijing's vehement opposition, the bill covering some of the reforms for the 1994/95 elections.
Chinese Foreign Minister Qian Qichen had likened Mr Patten's electoral plans to the ''man-made turmoil'' in Hong Kong that paramount leader Deng Xiaoping had suggested 10 years ago could necessitate the early resumption of sovereignty by China.
But Mr Patten said that far from there being turmoil, the territory was a model of stability.
''We have here in Hong Kong a stable, prosperous incredibly successful community, recognised as such by the whole of the world,'' he said.
''We are going to continue to be stable and as stable and prosperous, flourishing under the rule of law.'' He said the political debate had been conducted in a calm, sensible and mature way for more than a year and during that time, the economy had grown by about 5.5 per cent.
