President Jiang Zemin, Premier Li Peng, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,

This important and special ceremony marks a moment of both change and continuity in Hong Kong’s history. It marks, first of all, the restoration of Hong Kong to the People’s Republic of China, under the terms of the Sino-British Joint Declaration of 1984, after more than 150 years of British administration.

This ceremony also celebrates continuity because, by that same treaty and the many subsequent agreements which have been made to implement its provisions, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region will have its own government, and retain its own society, its own economy and its own way of life. I should like to pay tribute this evening to those who turned this, the concept of “one country, two systems” into the Joint Declaration, and to the dedication and commitment of those who have worked so hard over the last thirteen years to negotiate the details of the Joint Declaration’s implementation. But most of all I should like to pay tribute to the people of Hong Kong themselves for all that they have achieved in the last century and a half. The triumphant success of Hong Kong demands – and deserves – to be maintained.

Hong Kong has shown the world how dynamism and stability can be defining characteristics of a successful society. These have together created a great economy which is the envy of the world. Hong Kong has shown the world how East and West can live and work together. As a flourishing commercial and cultural cross-roads, it has brought us together and enriched all our lives.

Thirteen years ago the Governments of the United Kingdom and the People’s Republic of China recognised in the Joint Declaration that these special elements which had created the crucial conditions for Hong Kong’s success should continue. They agreed that, in order to maintain that success, Hong Kong should have its own separate trading and financial systems, should enjoy autonomy and an elected legislature, should maintain its laws and liberties, and should be run by the people of Hong Kong and be accountable to them. Those special elements have served Hong Kong well over the past two decades. Hong Kong has coped with the challenges of great economic, social and political transition with almost none of the disturbance and dislocation which in other parts of the world have so often accompanied change on such a scale.

The United Kingdom has been proud and privileged to have had responsibility for the people of Hong Kong, to have provided a framework of opportunity in which Hong Kong has so conspicuously succeeded, and to have been part of the success which the people of Hong Kong have made of their own opportunities.

In a few moments, the United Kingdom’s responsibilities will pass to the People’s Republic of China. Hong Kong will thereby be restored to China and, within the framework of “one country, two systems”, it will continue to have a strong identity of its own and be an important international partner for many countries in the world.

Ladies and Gentlemen, China will tonight take responsibility for a place and a people which matter greatly to us all. The solemn pledges made before the world in the 1984 Joint Declaration guarantee the continuity of Hong Kong’s way of life. For its part the United Kingdom will maintain its unwavering support for the Joint Declaration. Our commitments and our strong links to Hong Kong will continue, and will, I am confident, flourish, as Hong Kong and its people themselves continue to flourish.

Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen, I should like on behalf of Her Majesty the Queen and of the entire British people to express our thanks, admiration, affection, and good wishes to all the people of Hong Kong, who have been such staunch and special friends over so many generations. We shall not forget you, and we shall watch with the closest interest as you embark on this new era of your remarkable history.

(Full text of the remarks by Prince Charles, Prince of Wales at Hong Kong’s Handover Ceremony on June 30, 1997, as transcribed)

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江泽民主席，李鹏总理，各位尊敬的嘉宾，女士们，先生们：

这个重要、独特的仪式，标志着香港历史变革与延续的时刻。首先，今夜的仪式标志着香港在英国管治150多年后，根据1984年中英两国签署的联合声明而重新回归中华人民共和国。

同时，本仪式也庆祝延续，因为根据同一条约，和其后为实施其条款而签订的多个协议，香港特别行政区将拥有自己的政府，保留自己的社会与经济体系以及自己的生活方式。我要向当年将“一国两制”的构想体现于联合声明之中的诸位致敬。同时，对过去13年间付出了艰辛劳动，献出了忠诚与决心，为实施联合声明而商讨细节的诸位，我也要向你们致敬。但我更要为香港人民在过去的一个半世纪里亲手创造的一切而向他们致敬。香港的辉煌成就必须延续下去，也值得延续下去。

香港已向世人证明，一个成功的社会，是可以集拼搏与稳定于一身的。通过拼搏，靠着稳定创造出一个伟大的经济体系，令世人称羡。同时，香港又向世人证明，东方与西方，是可以和谐相处的。这个繁荣的商业和文化交汇点，使四海犹如一家，丰富了每一个人的生活。

13年前，联合王国和中华人民共和国政府在联合声明中认定，为香港的成功创造重要条件的这些独特元素应该继续下去。双方都同意，为了保持成功，香港必须拥有自己的贸易和金融体系，享受自治和一个由选举产生的立法机构，维持本身的法律和各种自由，并且应由港人治港、向港人负责。过去20年间，香港因为这些独特的元素而获益。其间，香港经受住了各种经济、社会和政治转折带来的挑战，而这种巨变在世界其他地方通常所造成的纷乱，在香港似乎从未出现。

联合王国感到自豪，也感荣幸曾为港人负起责任，为香港制定各项政策法规，使港人得以把握各种机会，创造出光彩夺目的成就，参与了香港人民利用机会所创造出的成就。

片刻之后，联合王国的责任，将转交给中华人民共和国。香港从此将回归中国，而在“一国两制”的框架内，香港将继续保持其鲜明个性，继续是世界许多国家的重要伙伴。

女士们，先生们，今晚，中国将为一个对我们所有人具有重大意义的地方和人民负起责任。1984年的联合声明已向世人庄严承诺，香港的生活方式将得以延续。联合王国将仍然坚定不移地支持联合声明。我有信心，我们对香港所承担的义务、我们与香港的密切联系，不但会继续下去，而且还会随着香港和港人的继续兴旺发达而更加深厚。

各位嘉宾，女士们，先生们，我谨代表女王陛下与全英国人民，向全体香港市民表达我们的感谢、敬佩、情谊和友好的祝愿。多少世代以来，你们都是我们的良朋挚友。我们不会忘记大家，同时，我们将满怀兴趣地关注你们不凡的历史上即将开启的新纪元。

（1997年6月30日，英国威尔士亲王查尔斯在香港回归典礼上的讲话，全文，根据录音材料整理）