Eight months after the return of sovereignty, there has not been a single suggestion that Hong Kong's autonomy --as decreed in the Basic Law -- has been undermined, the Director of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) Government, Mr Donald Tong said on February 24.

Speaking at a seminar organised by the David Lam Centre for International Communications of the University of British Columbia, Mr Tong said China has kept its word by leaving Hong Kong to manage its own affairs under the "One Country, Two Systems" concept.

Mr Tong assured the audience, comprising business people, academics and students, that the rule of law in Hong Kong is still being upheld as guaranteed by the Basic Law.

"We will do everything to preserve it, and as both the British Government and the Judiciary recently admitted that we still maintain the same high standard of legal system as before July 1, when Hong Kong returned to Chinese sovereignty," he said.

"The UK Judiciary has also recently appointed, with the agreement of the SAR government, two Law Lords to serve on the five-member Court of Final Appeal.

"This is a very welcomed arrangement in Hong Kong as it is clearly a vote of confidence in our judicial system and will further enhance the status of Hong Kong in the international arena."

He said that since the establishment of SAR, Hong Kong people have been exercising these rights of free speech, of demonstration, and of scrutinising government policies and decisions.

Mr. Tong pointed out to the audience that China, although not a signatory to the International Convenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights, has agreed to forward reports on the implementation of these two covenants to the United Nations on Hong Kong's behalf.

"This is clearly a positive gesture on the part of China to prove to the international community that the freedoms and rights of Hong Kong people will be protected," he said.

He added that several foreign reports including the US House Task Force on Hong Kong Transition, a six month report by UK government and a US State Department report on Human Rights in Hong Kong all agreed that there is no substantial change in Hong Kong.

Mr. Tong also said the US-HK dollar linked exchange rate will not be changed as delinking will damage Hong Kong, and cause further damage to the regional economy. He also dismissed speculatoins on the devaluation of Renminbi which many analysts said would bring pressure on the US-HK d