GOVERNOR Chris Patten yesterday urged US President Bill Clinton not to revoke China's Most Favoured Nation (MFN) trading status because it would badly affect Hong Kong.
''Such a blow would come at the worst possible time for Hong Kong. We are now in the final three years of the transition from British to Chinese sovereignty,'' Mr Patten told the American Chamber of Commerce.
As he spoke, a powerful Hong Kong business lobbying delegation headed home from Washington confident that Mr Clinton would find a way to renew MFN.
Paul Cheng, chairman of General Chamber of Commerce, said he was ''cautiously optimistic'' about a favourable result.
The crucial factor this year could be the increased role played by US business in China in building up a massive lobbying campaign to persuade the administration not to revoke the trading privilege, he said.
Following his discussions with key members of the Clinton administration and US Congress, Mr Cheng felt it was likely Mr Clinton would have to extend MFN with conditions for another year before the issue of de-linking trade from human rights could be addressed.