Chapter 15 Chapter Fourteen A Woman Is Always a Woman

Mrs. Thatcher had just had her hair done by the hairdresser next to her after dinner, and she couldn't wait to hear everyone's opinions before she took off the curlers all over her head.This is her consistent style. She tried her best to make herself more like a woman in terms of life, common people, and democratization.Because a political scientist once said that Mrs. Thatcher was the most unfeminine person in British politics.She brooded over the words.Although she said: In politics, if you want to talk, ask a man; if you want to make a difference, ask a woman.But she still had to make a little of what was unfeminine to be more feminine.

While pulling down her hair curler, she said: We should draw the attention of the negotiations to the two aspects of Hong Kong's future prosperity and Hong Kong's public opinion, and make a full article on these two points... These are two heavy shells. In the living room, everyone was excited and excited about the two blockbusters discovered by the prime minister.People agreed.The preparation meeting was not declared over until late at night. Through preparations, Mrs. Thatcher has confidence in her heart.She was still thinking seriously when she was lying on the dragon bed, thinking...

In the early morning, Mrs. Thatcher spent in the flower garden in front of the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse.It was rather like her own private garden in Flood Street, West London.Behind her house, there is an open space. Mrs. Thatcher transplanted the flowers and trees from the old garden to the new one. She, Dennis, son Mark, and daughter Carol worked together to use their rest days for more than half a year. It was time to build a private garden. She likes flowers and plants, like trees.In the dewy morning, wandering among the shady trees and breathing in the fragrance of birds and flowers is 10,000 times better than sitting indoors.Mrs. Thatcher knew the beauty of nature very well, so even if she only had a quarter of an hour to spare in the morning, she would go out.

She got up extremely early today. Because today I will have talks with the famous Deng Xiaoping. Mrs. Thatcher is an energetic person. Even if she can only sleep for four hours a day, she can still handle everything well with her waist straight. Dennis got up when she came out of the living room, but he did not walk out of the building with her in order to show his independence.He will summon the Chinese flowers at a later date.Usually he turns on the TV at this time, mainly looking for sports news. If there is no ball game he likes, he will watch economic trends and stock market quotes.Then he stepped into his Dennis jungle with a peaceful demeanor.

He often said that he and Margaret were two fish living in the same river, two completely different fish, just like a bonito and a herring, their excitement and ideals were different, But that doesn't stop them from admiring each other.He Dennis is a successful businessman.Just like Margaret was a successful politician.So, he is independent.His independent spirit enveloped Margaret at least, and Margaret never forced him to do what Dennis didn't want to do. At this time, Mrs. Thatcher had finished grooming. She was wearing a sapphire blue dress with spots of scarlet on it, a white pearl necklace around her neck, and a round gemstone ornament on her neckline. Black leather shoes look graceful and luxurious.

A woman is always a woman. But British women seem to be more proud than women in other countries.In the UK, both the current monarch and prime minister are women.Although the UK is a constitutional monarchy under the dictatorship of the bourgeoisie, and the queen rules but does not rule, she is the king of the country after all. The king doesn't care about the prime minister any more than a person prefers an old-fashioned chair to a fashionable but not durable sofa.Since the ruling party government manages the country, its policies and laws sometimes make mistakes or are inappropriate, which will arouse people's dissatisfaction, while the monarch is as gentle and distant as a dream, which will arouse people's pity and sympathy on the contrary.As the Chinese often say, the one who offends is the prime minister, and the one who loses is the queen.

The Britain that Mrs Thatcher now governs is not what it used to be.Britain is falling.The current queen is Elizabeth II, not Queen Victoria.Gone are the days of Queen Victoria's heyday. There are accurate statistics to prove that Britain has been irrevocably reduced to a second-rate country.From the end of the 19th century, Britain gradually lost its monopoly position as the world's factory. In 1870, Britain accounted for 325% of the world's total industrial output value, the United States accounted for 23%, and Germany 13%.By 1900, the U.S. share had risen to 31, as had Germany, and the U.K. had dropped to 185.The world's number one industrial power has given way to the United States.

Great Britain was a participant in two world wars, and although it was one of the victors in both wars, it still suffered considerable losses.As many as 1 million Chinese officers and soldiers died on the battlefield in the two wars alone.After the Second World War, due to huge military expenditures, the national debt of the United Kingdom increased from more than 7.2 billion pounds in 1939 to more than 23.7 billion pounds in 1945. This is fate. But that's not all. What hurt Britain even more was the awakening of colonial and dependent countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America after the war. These countries declared independence one after another and achieved success one after another.Great Britain was fed by these colonial countries and dependent countries in the past, and now it is even more vulnerable once it breaks away.

With the disintegration of the colonial system, Britain's economic status declined even further.Its gross national product has now fallen behind Japan, West Germany, France and Italy to sixth place in the Western world.This once mighty British Empire has been irretrievably reduced to a second-rate power in terms of economy, politics and military. Western scholars have referred to this declining trend of the UK as a British disease.It is manifested in the fact that the British economy has been stagnating, stopping and going.Having lost its colonial drive, it is helpless.For example, in 1980, if calculated at current prices, the UK’s GNP was 225.19 billion pounds, 17.4 times that of 1950’s 12.97 billion pounds, with an average annual growth rate of 10.0.If calculated at the fixed price in 1975, the United Kingdom in 1980.The GDP was 113.25 billion pounds, 2.1 times that of 1950, and the average annual growth rate was only 2.5.After the war, the growth rate of the British economy was not only low, but also on a downward trend.The average growth rate of GDP per decade was about 2.8 in the 1950s, 2.8 in the 1960s, 1.8 in the early 1970s, and only 0.9 in the late 1970s.

An Englishman named Nicholas Henderson lamented his country: Today, not only is our country no longer a world power, but it is not even a European power.For the first time in more than 300 years, Britain's per capita income has fallen below France's.Economically, it is now difficult for our country to keep pace with Germany or France.We also unabashedly call ourselves one of the less prosperous countries in Europe.For the foreseeable future, the outlook is gloomy.If this trend continues, before the end of this century, we will be surpassed by Italy and Spain in terms of per capita GNP... In 1954, France’s GNP was 22% lower than ours, and Germany’s was 9% lower than ours. In 1977, France's national product was already 34% higher than ours, and Germany's was 34% higher than ours. Thatcher was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom in such an era.Three years ago, when Mrs. Thatcher defeated her election opponent and took the oath of office in Downing Street, she stated that she would save the building from falling, and she would work hard to change the decline of Britain.And Hong Kong is her trump card in bringing Britain back to life, so she must not give it up for nothing.

Hong Kong cannot give up, never give up!On the way to the Great Hall of the People, Mrs Thatcher was still cheering herself up.In the car, Press Secretary Ingham turned on the radio to listen to British broadcasts.After a burst of chirping radio waves, the familiar British national anthem wafted out: God save our merciful queen, God bless and bless our queen, long live the queen!Defend our liberty, and bless us with unity, and free us from tyranny.God bless our queen... Mrs. Thatcher's eyes were moist as she listened.However, China has no queen. But Mrs. Thatcher met Deng Yingchao, China's oldest female politician.Deng Yingchao was supported by the waiter.Meeting Mrs. Thatcher was the prelude to today's negotiations.As Zhou Enlai's wife and a veteran revolutionary, Deng Yingchao was loved by the people.People affectionately call her Sister Deng.Deng Xiaoping also called Deng Yingchao Deng Dajie, but the implication is more profound.Everyone knows that Zhou Enlai and Deng Xiaoping had formed a deep friendship when they lived in France.Zhou Enlai, who was older than Deng Xiaoping and more experienced than him, had always protected him, especially during the Cultural Revolution and the Pilin Criticism Movement, Zhou Enlai had protected Deng Xiaoping.This is not only considered from the perspective of the future and destiny of the party and the country, but also does not deny the friendship of friends in need.Deng Xiaoping called Zhou "big brother" very early on.Therefore, when he called Miss Deng Yingchao, he was more affectionate. Deng Yingchao met Mrs Thatcher in Beijing a few years ago.Mrs Thatcher was not Prime Minister at the time.She is visiting China as the leader of the Conservative Party. The Conservative Party is a big party in the UK.It was developed by the Tories in the Commons of Parliament.The United Kingdom is the first country in the world to implement a parliamentary system. As early as the 13th century, the prototype of the Parliament began to appear.However, it was not until the 17th century, after the bourgeois revolution in England, that the state power gradually transitioned from the hands of the feudal dynasty to the House of Commons, controlled by the bourgeoisie and the new aristocrats.Due to different class interests, members of the House of Commons gradually formed factions with different views in the debate on some important issues.The so-called Tories refer to some parliamentarians who represent the interests of the land and religious aristocracy.The Whigs refer to a group of parliamentarians representing the interests of the industrial and commercial bourgeoisie.The two words Tory and Whig were originally English curse words. Tory means Irish gangster, and Whig means Scottish robber. It turned out that the two factions often used these two sentences to scold each other when they quarreled in Parliament. It has been a long time. , became synonymous with his own faction.Later, both factions of parliamentarians with a humorous style were willing to accept the names named after these two swear words, and the Tories and Whigs continued in this way. The modern political party organization in Britain was gradually established with the implementation of the reform bill of the British Parliament.Previously, the scope of parliamentary democracy in the UK was very narrow. For example, in 1830, there were about 10 million adults in the country. Due to various restrictions, only 500,000 citizens had the right to vote.There are 656 members of the House of Commons.That is to say, on average, every 762 citizens who have the right to vote can elect one member of parliament, and those wealthy gentlemen can easily become members of parliament through personal influence and bribery without any effort.However, after 1832, with the reform of the Parliament, the number of citizens entitled to vote increased sharply, and the practice of bribing votes was also suppressed. The situation was not so easy to control, so the two factions in the Parliament began to establish party organizations in each constituency. Serve the election.The Tories took the lead in forming the Conservative Party, and soon the Whigs also established the Liberal Party. In the 1860s, both major political parties established national central bodies.From the 1830s to the 1920s, the British government actually consisted of these two parties taking turns. The Conservative Party means the party of conservative forces.After World War II, in addition to continuing to represent the interests of manor owners and monopoly capitalists, the Conservative Party also had considerable influence among the middle class, senior staff and skilled workers.Before the First World War, the Liberal Party was in power most of the time, and the Conservative Party was in power relatively less.However, since the establishment of the Labor Party, the Conservative Party has come to the fore and has repeatedly won general elections.The Labor Party was established in February 1900, initially as the Labor Representative Committee, and in 1906 it was renamed the Labor Party.Unlike the Conservatives and Liberals, it was formed outside parliament by a coalition of trade unions, cooperative organizations and several socialist groups.The membership of the Labor Party is obviously mainly workers. They originally supported the Liberal Party. Once the Labor Party was established, the strength of the Liberal Party was severely weakened. After World War II, it was reduced to the status of the third largest party. After that, the Labor Party and the Conservative Party took turns in power.The Labor Party first came to power in 1924.The Labor Party currently has more than 7 million members.It is said that its program is also aimed at the realization of socialism, but its doctrine is nothing more than social reformism such as nationalizing certain state-owned enterprises, increasing social welfare, and taxing high-income earners.In the past decade or so, Britain has been severely hit by two economic crises. The long-term economic recession has exacerbated various social contradictions. The internal divisions of the Labor Party have deepened, and serious factional struggles have caused them to suffer a disastrous defeat in the election with the Conservative Party. On October 13, 1978, which happened to be Margaret Thatcher's 53rd birthday, she delivered a famous speech attacking the Labor Party at the Conservative Party's annual meeting—— Many of us have fond memories of what Labor used to be like.In the past, Labor was at least a party with ideals.You don't have to agree with Labour's claims to understand its appeal and respect its concern for the underdog.Some of those leading the Labor movement have gone astray.Socialism is no longer popular.To oppose intelligence and difference is to oppose talent, to be independent, to be creative, to be against genius, to be against all that is rich and varied.To curb success is to punish those who need help... Not long after this speech, Mrs Thatcher took over No. 10 Downing Street and became the first female prime minister in British history. Now, the female prime minister presented a bouquet of flowers to Mrs. Zhou Enlai, who was much older than her.Margaret Thatcher was born on October 13, 1925.At that time, Deng Yingchao had already participated in the revolution.In terms of age, Deng Yingchao can be called her elder.And Mrs Thatcher was very particular about etiquette.She has received a good family education, which is a childhood education that is completely in accordance with the norms of the Victorian era, respecting the elders and abiding by traditions.She did this out of habit and from the heart. After talking about some trivial matters of life like a mother and daughter, they bid farewell like a mother and daughter.Mrs. Thatcher walked out of Xinjiang University and walked to the Fujian Hall where Deng Xiaoping was.The Great Hall of the People was silent.Although there was a welcoming red carpet, and despite being guided, Mrs. Thatcher still stopped in doubt.The Fujian hall is just ahead, but the door there is closed, and there is no one to greet them outside the door. Mrs. Thatcher frowned puzzled. However, at this moment, the door of the Fujian hall was opened, and a group of people came out of the hall, surrounded by a radiant Deng Xiaoping, and applauded with smiles on their faces to express their welcome.The two held hands together. At this time, the hall was crowded with people, and the flashing lights kept flashing.Reporters are scrambling to seize a favorable position to capture this picture with extraordinary historical significance. Mrs. Thatcher felt Deng Xiaoping's authority from the reporter's enthusiastic expression.She shook Deng Xiaoping's hand and said: I am visiting China as the current Prime Minister, and I am very glad to see you. Deng Xiaoping replied with a smile: I am also very happy.I know several British prime ministers, but all of them have stepped down. Welcome, Mrs. Thatcher. The translator told Mrs. Thatcher the meaning, and Mrs. Thatcher was taken aback.Deng Xiaoping's concise and unadorned language made people uncomfortable.In the British cabinet, only Margaret Thatcher's language has a direct effect, and her sharpness and meanness often make people feel like a thorn in their backs.However, today she met a more straightforward language master than her in a foreign country thousands of miles away.One that made her ear-piercing.What is the meaning of Deng Xiaoping's words? I know several British prime ministers, but all of them have stepped down. What does this mean?Does that mean he had a long career in politics?of course.She was not born when he went to France for a work-study program, and she was just born when he was studying in the Soviet Union, and he was already a professional revolutionary at that time.Does it mean that the prime ministers before her were his friends?Which prime ministers?Is Callaghan the prime minister of the Labor government?Or Conservative Prime Minister Heath?Some of them were her friends, some were her enemies.But they have all stepped down. Does this mean that I may also step down, because the fate of the British Prime Minister is not in his own hands, but in the hands of the people... Mrs. Thatcher's mind is turning like a windmill, and she still hasn't figured out why.Deng Xiaoping and Margaret Thatcher both sat down, shutting out those journalists who were very dynamic. Deng Xiaoping half leaned on the sofa, facing Mrs Thatcher, and leaned forward slightly when speaking. Mrs. Thatcher put the black handbag on the sofa, her hands crossed naturally.Her expression was somewhat reserved and serious.But that was her usual look.She has been like this since she was a child.Whenever she encounters big events, such as when she entered St. Woolfrans Cathedral in her hometown of Lincolnshire when she was a child, when she walked into Oxford University for the first time, and when she was elected a female MP for the first time, she would show this on her face Serious expression.However, this expression was soon relieved.The topic starts with eating habits. Deng Xiaoping asked Mrs Thatcher about her basic necessities of life, whether she was used to Chinese food.Mrs. Thatcher also asked about Deng Xiaoping's physical condition with great concern.Deng Xiaoping was already 78 years old at the time. A few days ago, he was accompanying foreign guests on a tour in other places, and now he rushed back to participate in the talks. Mrs Thatcher was famously energetic.She can work 18 hours a day and show up at the office feeling refreshed on just four hours of sleep a day. The Times reporter Brian Cornell interviewed her about how she managed the stressful job of prime minister.She replied: I don't know either.I just feel at ease with my work, I don't feel physically stressed at all, and although my schedule is always packed, I love it.I have so much energy and for the first time in my life my energy is fully utilized... Her daughter Carol said the same about her: Amazing mother who has been leader of the Conservative Party for 12 years and government for 8 years After the summit, the energy remained strong.As the years go by, she looks more and more youthful, while many other heads of government and heads of state are aging all the time because of their heavy national responsibilities, various pressures, and high nervous tension. But Thatcher was only 56 years old at this time.The Deng Xiaoping she saw had a rosy complexion, his hair was still thick and black, and his movements were not slow at all. It was impossible to tell that he was almost eighty years old.She was surprised. I heard you just came back from out of town?Mrs Thatcher asked with concern.Yes, I just accompanied Chairman Kim Il Sung to Sichuan.Deng Xiaoping replied with a smile.He flicked the ashtray behind the teacup subconsciously with his hand, and retracted his body, trying to take out a cigarette from his pocket, but he suddenly realized that he was meeting a foreign guest, and it was a lady, so he stopped.He asked Mrs. Thatcher: Have you ever eaten Sichuan cuisine?Mrs. Thatcher shook her head to indicate that she hadn't eaten. Deng Xiaoping said: I like Sichuan cuisine.In China, Sichuan cuisine and Cantonese cuisine are the most famous.Deng Xiaoping spoke enthusiastically.It's true that everyone says that their hometown is good, and they are very close when they mention it, not to mention that Sichuan cuisine is really not well-known.In order to prove that his words were correct, he asked Hong Kong Governor You De, who was sitting on the side, if he liked Sichuan and Cantonese food. Youde hurriedly said: I like them all.But I am more familiar with Sichuan cuisine, because my diplomatic life started from Sichuan. When Deng Xiaoping met his bosom friend, he said humorously: Then, you are also from Sichuan!Chinese and foreign guests laughed together. Although Mrs Thatcher was a career politician, she was also a career housewife.As a wife and a mother, she also did a good job in housework.She is especially good at cooking. Whenever she has free time, she will cook some traditional British dishes to contribute to the family.But she has no research on Chinese cuisine, so she can hardly get in the conversation.But Mrs. Thatcher still found something to talk about. A few years ago, she visited Suzhou in China. She had eaten Suzhou cuisine, which she thought was delicious. Deng Xiaoping said with a smile: Of course, as a tourist, he always goes to tell where the food is delicious. Mrs. Thatcher said: This is not a compliment, I really think Suzhou cuisine is delicious. Deng Xiaoping said: OK, tell the comrades at Diaoyutai State Guesthouse to cook you a few more real Sichuan and Cantonese dishes, and you will know that Sichuan and Cantonese dishes are really delicious... Before the British Prime Minister talked about his experience in tasting dishes, Deng Xiaoping brought the topic to the main topic.The personnel from both sides participating in the talks immediately sat upright, as if the two armies were confronting each other.Mrs. Thatcher seized the commanding heights from the very beginning, and first threw out her three treaty validity arguments.Her expression was stern, her tone was tough, and she looked non-negotiable.The atmosphere in the venue suddenly became tense. After Mrs. Thatcher finished speaking, there was a short period of awkward scene. Both sides were silent, and the meeting room was very quiet, only the sound of the pen tip sliding across the paper on the shorthand notebook came and flew quickly. When Deng Xiaoping spoke, his tone was calm and forceful: Our basic position on the Hong Kong issue is clear. There are three main issues here.One is the issue of sovereignty; the second is the policy adopted towards Hong Kong after China resumed exercising sovereignty in 1997, that is, how to manage Hong Kong; Create conditions for resuming the exercise of sovereignty.These three buckwheats have become the complete meaning of the return of Hong Kong's sovereignty. Mrs Thatcher said: I know the role of Hong Kong in China.Recently, I read a book about China's economic construction written by an American scholar. He said that for China, Hong Kong is the spark plug of its economic engine and the fulcrum of Beijing's strategy of peacefully reunifying Taiwan.The Chinese government's eagerness to raise the Hong Kong issue has far-reaching significance... Mrs Thatcher was playing tricks.She knows that China is at a critical juncture in history. This is Deng Xiaoping's proposal for the four modernizations, and the most important part of this modernization is to carry out economic construction, which is the top priority.Now, China's economy is climbing, and every step will bring a miracle of heaven and earth.Especially in the southern and coastal areas of China, they are climbing the economic peak with an annual growth rate of 10%, which has reached an unprecedented height. If Hong Kong is taken back at this time, Hong Kong will give a great impetus to China's economy.There is no doubt about it, there is no doubt about it.But Mrs Thatcher's intention is not in this, she has other intentions. Mrs. Thatcher went on to talk eloquently: I think the issue of Hong Kong's sovereignty is important, and we understand it, but I think the more important thing is how to maintain Hong Kong's stability and prosperity. This issue should be resolved first. Hong Kong Governor Youde is also playing the side drum, but he puts it mildly: the Prime Minister means that both Britain and China need a prosperous Hong Kong, and whether it is prosperous or not is crucial.Because of Hong Kong's prosperity, of course our two countries will benefit the most.Therefore, we say that the future management of Hong Kong and its continued prosperity are the main ones, and the issue of Hong Kong's sovereignty raised by your country... This is easy to say, we can discuss it. Deng Xiaoping's gaze became serious, and he immediately picked up the topic: Regarding the issue of sovereignty, China has no room for maneuver on this issue. Having said that, he inspected the crowd, tapped the table slightly with his left hand, and said forcefully: The issue of sovereignty is not an issue for discussion.Now the time is ripe, and it should be clearly affirmed that China will take back Hong Kong in 1997.That is to say, what China wants to take back is not only the New Territories, but also Hong Kong Island and Kowloon. Mrs. Thatcher spread her hands: If China unilaterally decides to take back Hong Kong, why bother to negotiate? Her subtext is: Did you take it back when China said it would take it back?Hong Kong is still in the hands of the British, can you still take it away from us?If so, the UK will wait and see... Everyone knows that Margaret Thatcher was like a lioness when she raged.During the fight against Argentina, she showed her militant character on TV more than once.When the British army first encountered the Argentine defenders on the island and occupied South Georgia Island, she even waved her hands on TV to encourage the people of the whole country to say: Cheer!Cheers!Speaking at the Scottish Conservative Party's annual conference, she said of the Falklands: "You've got a real crisis and that's a lot of fun.During the war, the British submarine searched for the Argentine 10,000-ton cruiser General Belgrano, and asked whether to launch an attack on it. Mrs. Thatcher ordered without hesitation: sink it!As a result, it was sunk by a torpedo launched by a British submarine, and 368 Argentine officers and soldiers were buried at the bottom of the sea.A senior general of the British army commented on her: She is strong-willed, good at judging the situation, making judgments, and once she makes a decision, she will resolutely implement it.She is a decisive leader, and the military needs a leader like her... But for her hysterical war fanaticism, a Scottish Tobacco Minister named George Younge said that after watching her speech, he felt that Mrs. Thatcher and the British people behaved like Hitler's Nuremberg Rally. Mrs. Thatcher's militant character can be said to be learned from Churchill, although Churchill was an anti-fascist hero in World War II, although Mrs. Thatcher was only a little girl at that time.When she was 13 years old, her sister Muriel had a Jewish friend Edith who came to their home and told her family about the Nazi stories in Austria, which deeply shocked Margaret.She thus became a supporter of the youngest Conservatives.She said: "I still remember the difference between the Conservatives and Labor on the issue of rearming Britain.Winston Churchill warned us that war was looming and Britain must rearm itself.The Labor Party voted against it, and even Hitler opposed conscription after he occupied Czechoslovakia.No matter how wrong the Conservative Party's policies were in the 1930s, the Conservative Party was ahead of the Labor Party when it came to taking action against Hitler's dictatorship and defending democracy. Churchill was a great hero in Margaret's mind.She admired his calm and fearless spirit.His fighting character deeply affected little Margaret.More importantly, Churchill was a winner. He called on everyone to fight and won.Margaret thought Churchill was the perfect winner.Mrs Thatcher knew everything about Churchill, including his colonialist attitude towards Asia, and on this point, Churchill was also tough and non-negotiable, like a European lion. Therefore, Mrs. Thatcher felt that she should adopt a tough attitude towards the Hong Kong issue.Furthermore, only by adhering to the colonial principles of the British Empire can we win the trust of the cabinet government and the general respect of the people.When Galtieri of Argentina sent 4,000 troops to capture the Falkland Islands, which was guarded by only 82 British troops, Mrs. Thatcher impromptuly moved to convene a cabinet meeting.She announced at the meeting: For the benefit of the British Empire, on behalf of the ruling party, I propose to the Parliament: declare war on Argentina!At this time, a miracle happened, all the members of parliament, including the opposition party and the ruling party, stood up, and the prime minister's proposal was unanimously approved!This has not happened since World War II.Not even the declaration of war against fascist Germany was passed unanimously.Thatcher saw what she wanted.So stick to your colonial position, stick to it, stick to it, stick to it.Deng Xiaoping responded tit-for-tat to Mrs. Thatcher's rhetorical question: I think Mrs. Thatcher knew better about the necessity of negotiations, that's why you came to China all the way. Deng Xiaoping pointedly expressed the embarrassment of Britain.Since 1840, when has Britain sought to negotiate without resorting to force?From the two Opium Wars to the invasion of China by the Eight-Power Allied Forces, they relied on strong ships and guns to force the Qing government to sign an alliance under the city.Because then they knew they could beat China.Now Britain is in decline.Britain is well aware of its national strength, and it is impossible for it to regain its former glory.That's why Mrs Thatcher wanted to get what they wanted at the negotiating table. Deng Xiaoping continued to raise his voice and said: Negotiations are possible.But there must be a prerequisite, that is, to first recognize China's sovereignty.If China had not taken back Hong Kong in 1997, 48 years after the founding of the People's Republic of China, no Chinese leader or government would be able to account to the Chinese people.If it is not taken back, it means that the Chinese government is the late Qing government, and the Chinese leader is Li Hongzhang!We have waited for 33 years, and adding 15 years is 48 years. We have been able to wait for such a long time on the basis of the full trust of the people.If it is not recovered after 15 years, the people will have no reason to trust us. Any Chinese government should step down and withdraw from the political arena automatically. There is no other choice. Deng Xiaoping became excited.The anger of the Chinese people that has been suppressed for too long, and the century-old humiliation of the Chinese people, now, he finally expresses it on behalf of him.The Chinese representatives in the conference hall were all elated after listening to Deng Xiaoping's speech.Mrs. Thatcher and her party remained silent. The British ambassador to China, Colliday, hastened to bring the conversation over so that the relationship between the two countries would not be tense due to the failure of the meeting.He said: Britain came to China in anticipation of finding a proper solution to the Hong Kong issue.We believe that resolving territorial disputes through negotiations is the best way. Deng Xiaoping said coldly: Therefore, China's formal announcement of the decision to take back Hong Kong is also beneficial to Britain in a large sense.This means that Britain will completely end the colonial era and will be well received in front of the world's public opinion. Mrs. Thatcher said: If the issue of Hong Kong only pays attention to the issue of sovereignty and does not pay attention to its future prosperity, as some Western observers have said recently, if it is separated from the management of the British government, it will be on the verge of destruction.Do you not care about its future and fate?Don't care if it prospers or not?Does your government need only its shell and the appearance of sovereignty, and not its inner character? Mrs. Thatcher asked many questions in one breath, and her sharp teeth helped.She felt that attention should still be drawn to Hong Kong's future prosperity and made a big fuss about it.On the surface, Hong Kong's future is uncertain, but in fact it has a direction and something to follow.As we all know, the prosperity of Hong Kong is universally recognized.But how did it prosper?Presumably everyone in the world will know that it is managed by the British.The Chinese government has never administered Hong Kong.In this way, since both China and Britain want Hong Kong to continue to prosper, they must maintain the status quo and let the British continue to manage Hong Kong as before.If the issue of sovereignty cannot be bypassed, the British can avoid talking about it first, and only talk about letting the British continue to manage Hong Kong. Sure enough, Mrs Thatcher threw out what she had long wanted to say.She said: How to maintain the stability and prosperity of Hong Kong has always been a serious consideration of our British government.Considering its history and future, Hong Kong's separation from the British government would be unthinkable, even disastrous. Deng Xiaoping retorted: To maintain Hong Kong's prosperity, we hope to obtain the cooperation of the United Kingdom, but this does not mean that Hong Kong's continued prosperity must be achieved under the jurisdiction of the United Kingdom.Hong Kong's continued prosperity depends fundamentally on whether Hong Kong can implement policies suitable for Hong Kong under China's jurisdiction after China takes back Hong Kong.I can tell you that Hong Kong's current political and economic systems, and even most of the laws can be preserved, and capitalism will still be practiced in Hong Kong, and many current suitable things must be maintained.We have considered this idea relatively maturely, and we will announce it to the world at that time. Having said this, Deng Xiaoping's tone softened. He breathed out and continued: As for what the Prime Minister said, the British government would continue to manage the Hong Kong issue. With the return of sovereignty, I can clearly say that it is impossible.The prosperity and success of Hong Kong is certainly due to the management of the British, but what is more important is the hard work and struggle of the Chinese people in Hong Kong. Without them, there would be no Hong Kong today.If you don’t believe me, may I ask your Excellency, among some cities in your mainland UK, which city can compare with Hong Kong’s economic development speed?Aren't they also managed by the British?So I say that the success of Hong Kong is caused by many factors, not just the result of British management. Mrs. Thatcher said: In any case, the prosperity of Hong Kong has attracted worldwide attention, and its role is also enormous.Maintaining Hong Kong's current political status and prosperity is a necessary condition for the success of China's four modernizations. If British governance is replaced by China, which has no successful experience, Hong Kong will collapse and China's four modernizations will be endangered. Deng Xiaoxiao asked: What do you mean by China without successful experience?Mrs. Thatcher immediately corrected: I mean that China has never managed Hong Kong, and you have no experience in managing capitalist cities. Her subtext is: You say that our success in managing Hong Kong is due to the Chinese, but what about you?Have you ever managed a city under capitalism? Deng Xiaoping said: Then let Hong Kong people who know how to manage the capitalist system manage it! This sentence made Mrs. Thatcher dumbfounded, and she didn't know how to respond.邓小平说：你们说香港如果不能保持继续繁荣。就会在很大程度上影响中国的四化建设，这种估计是不正确的。因为中国的根基在大陆。如果中国把四化建设能否实现放在香港是否繁荣上，那么这个决策本身就是不正确的。 撒切尔夫人摇头表示疑义。她说：如果中国政府宣布收回香港，香港就会发生波动和带来灾难性的影响。这是我们英国最不愿意看到的。 邓小平说：至于说中国宣布1997年收回香港，香港就可能发生波动，我认为这很正常。如果中英两国抱着相互合作的态度来解决这个问题，就能避免大的波动。但是，如果贵国不合作，如果香港真会有灾难性的结果，那我们也不怕。我们会勇敢地面对这个灾又佳。 撒切尔夫人看到了邓小平的强硬神情。这是她难以企及的。香港不是马岛，邓小平也不是加尔铁里。他是一个老政治家和老军事家。他当年曾经指挥过千军万马，就是在75岁高龄时仍指挥过比马岛大许多倍的自卫反击战。她觉得无法和这样一个铁腕人物交手。但她仍不认输，她仍表示要坚持要求对香港的管辖。 邓小平见会谈时间已超过半个多小时，便恢复了笑容。他笑着对英客人们说：我提个建议好吧，我想中英两国应该达成一个协议，即双方同意通过外交途径开始进行香港问题的磋商。前提是1997年中国收回香港，在这个基础上磋商解决今后15年怎祥过渡得好以及15年以后香港怎么办的问题。撒切尔夫人默然走出人民大会堂。她今天遇到了狙击。而且也想不出怎样主动。一直到会谈结束，她也没缓过劲来。 她沉思着走出大会堂北门，一抬头，看见石阶右下方集聚着一些记者正用长长的变焦镜头跟踪着她。她立时意识到自己阴沉着脸是不对的，完全有可能被世界各大报纸放在醒目的位置发出，这会影响铁娘子的形象。于是她突然就变得一睑灿烂，笑着向石阶下的记者们点头致意。记者们摆开了拍照的架式，撒切尔夫人就在一片劈啪作响的快门声中向下走去，一步，两步，她摆着首相的姿势，感觉很好地走着。谁知走到倒数第二级石阶，再有一小步就到平地时，她的黑色高跟鞋后跟踩空，身体一下子失去了平衡，向下一栽，倒在石阶下，把一只鞋和手袋摔在了几米开外。幸亏她已接近平地，幸亏她两只手按住了地，摔得并不重，幸亏一名中国军人和一名穿灰色中山装的保卫人员快步冲过去将她扶起，她才有惊无险。柯利达大使和随行人员为她拣起了手袋和鞋。撒切尔夫人顾不得疼痛，极快地穿上了鞋，急忙钻进停在石阶下的红旗牌轿车里，坐好后还没忘记在车窗后向记者们挥手致意，表明一切安然无恙。 红旗轿车向西驶去，撒切尔夫人等人摇上车窗，才赶快揉一下摔疼的膝盖，检查她的宝石蓝连衣裙是否摔坏。 她的大腿刚作了切除静脉曲张血管手术，是8月23日做的。当天晚上撒切尔夫人就从医院搬回到了唐宁街10号。仅仅二十多天，她就踏上了远东之旅。这一跤是恢复不好，身体不适造成的还是别的原因，就不得而知了。 但记者们却认为这是她心情沮丧，神情恍惚造成的。有人说她受到邓小平的狙击，为英国悲伤而摔倒。总之，撒切尔夫人双膝着地，跌落尘埃的事件确实是发生了。中国人更愿意把这件事去当作象征，是英国衰落的象征。这个小小的插曲被人们久久传扬着，几乎家喻户晓。 下午，撒切尔夫人一行游览颐和园。 实际上，秋天里更应该游览圆明园。特别是在中英两国为香港问题谈判的今天，更应该让英国人追忆一下当年它们给中国留下了什么，为世界文明史留下了什么。 颐和园是当年慈禧太后克扣海军军费修造而成的。那时，慈禧也才不过五十多岁，颐和园修了许多年，将清漪园改成了颐和园，慈禧太后在这里举行了她的六十大寿庆典。 撒切尔夫人游历了这个当年的皇家园林，穿行了世界上最长的长廊，登上了万寿山，并且在石舫前留了影。 游览中，她不断和丈夫丹尼斯谈论中国封建皇帝的气派和文化。丹尼斯和她有节制地争论着，使游历显得生动活泼而有趣。丹尼斯说慈禧太后应该是有远见的人，她把一部分筹建海军的军费克扣下来修建了这座具有东方美的园林，是不是已经知道清帝国海军未来的命运？事实是北洋舰队全部被日本人击沉了，葬身在万顷波涛下面，而颐和园不是留下来了吗？如今供人们在此游览玩赏，这不是说明慈禧太后有先见之明吗？玛格丽特知道这是先生在故意玩幽默，这是他的一惯作派。自从她24岁那年认识他时他就是这样，幽默、风趣、诙谐。他身材高大，英俊潇洒，很像她的那个在家乡林肯郡的父亲。玛格丽特是在父亲严格管教下成长起来的，父亲的气质深深影响着她。虽然父亲文化程度不高，因为他13岁时就辍学了，但他一生热爱学习，乐于助人，富有正义感，最终由一个杂货店的经营者而成为高级市政官，虽然那是一个小市。但玛格丽特一直认为父亲是她的榜样，她也不认为家乡的小镇——林肯郡小多少。林肯郡如今名扬天下的事情至少有三件，一是有着全英国最高的圣伍尔弗兰斯大教堂；二是伟大的物理学家牛顿公爵曾在这里上过中学；三是诞生了英国历史上第一个女首相玛格丽特希尔达撒切尔夫人。撒切尔夫人小时候依靠父亲扶持，结婚之后则每每依靠夫婿丹尼斯。丹尼斯是个富商，他不仅有经商天才，却又十分喜欢政治。他和同样钟情政治的父亲十分相像。玛格丽特24岁成为达特福选区有史以来第一位保守党议员候选人后该区举办的第一次招待会上，按照英国传统，应该给未婚的玛格丽特物色一位男陪客，于是人们推举了仪表堂堂的企业家丹尼斯。从他们第一次相见就彼此倾心，如今已三十年过去仍矢志不移。丹尼斯知道他该怎样做。他喜欢政治，但并不迷恋它。他总是在妻子最需要他的时候出现在她的视野里，比如她的律师生涯，她的议鼠竞选，她的入主唐宁街，每走一步，都依靠丹尼斯宽厚的肩膀支持着。倘若没有丹尼斯，撒切尔夫人就会心猿意马，六神无主。比如对阿根廷宣战时，撒切尔夫人在议会大厅首席讲台上宣布这一决定，她习惯性地扫视全场。但她没有见到她的丹尼斯，因为这里是议会，丹尼斯不可能出现在这里，于是一丝遗憾袭上玛格丽特的心头。她说她当时非常非常想立即见到他，她想得到他的支持。在她的政治生涯中，当然也有挫折和失败，但这一切都不要紧，只要躺在丹尼斯的怀抱里嘤嘤哭上一阵，挫折感立时就会烟消云散。撒切尔夫人一点也不打算隐瞒她对丈夫丹尼斯的情感，在各种会议上或者在内阁会议上，她总是以丹尼斯为例，谈论着这个以男人为中心的世界。在一次会议即将结束时，玛格丽特抬起手腕看了一下表，脱口而出道：哎呀，时间不多了，我还得赶快到路口的杂货店给丹尼斯买点薰肉。她手下的秘书说，让我替您代买一下吧。玛格丽特很坚决地说：不，只有我才知道丹尼斯喜欢什么样的熏肉。鉴于撒切尔夫人这样依赖丈夫丹尼斯，所以，撒切尔夫人出国访问时，她的出访名单上总少不了丹尼斯的名字。丹尼斯也乐意跟她出国，一是可以到世界各地走走，观赏那里的美丽风光；二是可以开展自己的商务活动。但丹尼斯总是自己付帐，以他一个男人的自尊和对国家制度的理解，坚持在经济上和撒切尔夫人划清界限，决不沾她的光。因此，撒切尔夫人才会在各种场合强烈反对有些妻子用公费和丈夫一起出差旅行。 现在，丹尼斯又开始调侃了。他说的是中国本世纪最有权势的皇太后，想借此调剂一下撒切尔夫人高度紧张的神经。慈禧太后建造这座宫苑时，不过五十多岁，和玛格丽特现在的年纪相仿，可是她却只知挥霍中国人民的血汗，而玛格丽特却不。至少他丹尼斯认为是这样。丹尼斯拥护英国的现行制度，拥护英国的资本主义社会，更拥护以玛格丽特为首相的内阁政府。他知道清朝时的中国和维多利亚时代的英国打了那么多年，为什么英国总处上风，是因为资本主义社会比封建社会先进的缘故。 但是，这一次与中国人交手，玛格丽特却遭受了挫折。丹尼斯没有参加会谈。当他的玛格丽特离开国宾馆前去谈判的时候，他照例给她打气，说他在宾馆等着她的好消息。他们匆匆吻别的时候，他看到玛格丽特的神情有些心不在焉，当时他就觉得情不妙。因为玛格丽特很少这样，鸡做书从来就信心十足，不会忧虑重重，只有遇到麻烦，而且难以逾越时她才会这样。果然，玛格丽特神色黯然地回来了。她伏在他的肩上，显得身心交瘁。他亲切地抚着她的背，轻轻拍着她，像哄着一个孩子。丹尼斯比玛格丽特大十岁，他总像一个父亲那样呵护着她。这一次也一样，他为她揉着摔疼的膝部，并帮她换去那身贵重的蓝底红点的连衣裙，小心翼翼地为她摘下那串珍珠项链，一直到玛格丽特神情好转才放下心来。做这些事情时唯有丹尼斯才知道玛格丽特的心思，他知道该如何处理那些看来极细小而实际上关系重大的事情。比如那串白色珍珠项链，这是她最珍爱的，因为这是她父亲送给她的，然而，被她称之为良师益友般的父亲却离她走了，他于1970年病故，离她任内阁大臣仅几个月。现在，这串珍珠项链成了她和父亲保持联系的唯一信物，是她沟通父亲所在世界的秘密通道。还有她最爱的宝石蓝裙子，这是她的好运颜色。结婚前，玛格丽特总是穿暗灰调子的衣服，黑的灰的等等。结婚后，她的第一件鲜艳色彩的裙子就是宝石蓝颜色，从此，她就交了好运。加上她是保守党人，保守党人在参加竞选时胸前都戴象征特定党派色彩的大绢花，比如工党用红花，自由党人用黄花，社会民主党用蓝红两色花，而她的保守党用的正是她喜欢的蓝色花。她的丈夫丹尼斯也喜欢蓝色。基于这一切，她一直把蓝色当做她的幸运颜色，每到出席盛典或国事访问时，她都穿上宝石蓝颜色的衣服，让这美丽的蓝颜色保佑她和她的英国。 可是，仍然穿一袭蓝裙子的她，怎么失望而归呢？ 丹尼斯不好打昕会谈的情况。因为这是国事。他们家有不成文的规定：在家不谈国不谈政治。 但即使玛格丽特不说，丹尼斯也能猜得清楚：一定是会谈没有达到预期目的。 于是在颐和园游玩的时候，丹尼斯就想方设法取悦玛格丽特。 玛格丽特知道丈夫的用心，她不由得很受感动。令人难堪的一页翻过去了，她虽然不悦，但有丹尼斯诙谐的话语和可人的笑容，她觉得释然了。 她情不自禁地挽起丈夫的胳，就像一对上了年纪的外国游人，游览起美丽的颐和园来。 9月25日，撒切尔夫人按原计划离开北京前往上海。赵紫阳总理赶到钓鱼台国宾馆为她送行。昨晚夜宴之前，撒切尔夫人在人民大会堂举行了一个颇具规模的记者招待会。此时，中英联合声明已经发表。声明中说：今天，两国领导人在友好的气氛中，就香港前途问题进行了深入的讨论。双方领导人就此问题阐述了各自的立场，双方本着维持香港的稳定和繁荣的共同目的，同意在这次访问后通过外交途径进行商谈。联合声明中并没有透露中英两国会谈的实际内容，但中国方面却在声明后面加上了至于中国政府关于收回整个地区主权的立场是明确的，众所周知的这句话，立时引起中外记者的猜测。撒切尔夫人成为记者们围追堵截想一探究真情的对象。出于礼节和多种考虑，撒切尔夫人举行了这个记者招待会。她在会上首先谈到了这次北京之行的目的，谈到了英中两国联合声明的内容，并对中国政府的热情款待表示感谢。谁知这时，她却突然失声，嘴巴干张却说不出话来，像蹦上河岸的鱼。后来还是她的新闻秘书赶快递给她一杯矿泉水，她喝了几口，清清嗓子后才又发出声来。一些记者又将这件事联系到她北京之行的不顺上来，并提出许多尖锐的问题让她解答，但她一一挡了回去，坚决拒绝了记者们想剌探联合声明以外的会谈内容。 赵紫阳问起了她的嗓子情况，询问是否因说话太多导致失声，撒切尔夫人感谢他的关心，说大概是不习惯北京的气候的缘故。因为英国伦敦气候湿润，不像北京气候千躁。撒切尔夫人也询问了赵紫阳的身体情况。谈起身体，撒切尔夫人不无羡慕地对赵紫阳说：还是邓小平先生的身体好！他昨天同我谈了两个小时，一点也看不出他累，而且思路敏捷，条理清晰，真是了不起！ 赵紫阳总理和撒切尔夫人一行亲切告别后，由外交部副部长章文晋陪同英国客人乘机离开北京。 上午十时左右，撒切尔夫人的专机在上海虹口机场徐徐降落。一踏上这块土地，撒切尔夫人心情就好了许多。上海令她轻松。一是这里的气候湿润，和伦敦差不许多，二是建筑风格也偏近欧洲，许多建筑是百年前就建造的，式样典雅古朴，使她不由得想起家乡林肯郡那个尖顶教堂。她认为这是英国文化的一注血脉流淌的结果。她为此而骄傲。 和别的地方不同，上海几乎是和英国人的侵华史一同长大的。一条以《南京条约》命名的南京路出现在150年前的黄浦滩边，从此它就疯长起来。 撒切尔夫人认为英国人会点石成金。她认为这是英国和中国的不解之缘。英国人的殖民地遍布世界，但唯有在中国才桃李皆丰。香港是帝国王冠上的明珠，而上海则是它手中的一颗宝石，它们都熠熠生辉，光彩照人。 访问的日程安排得极满。中国方面没有人知道撒切尔夫人的腿部手术，没有人知道她这时因劳累过度而脚步蹒跚一不过这样的情形是在她的使团内部。下午是去江南造船厂参观，铁娘子甚至有些倦意了，但一想起英国和上海的非凡关系，想起自己的公众形象，她就强打精神，装着很精抻的样子去了。 造船厂里，一艘新船就要下水。船主叫包玉刚，香港有名的船王。真是天造地设，正是新船竣工交付时，来了英国首相撒切尔夫人，于是一场别开生面的命名庆典就由她来主持了。 包玉刚是香港的新闻人物，撒切尔夫人早有所闻。香港百年，世诉浮沉，说来令人感慨万端。香港自强划属英以来，过去许多年一直是英商巨贾聚集之地，哪有中国人经商玩票的事？ 香港的巨变是70年初。那些在美国、西欧日本等国采用的先进科学技术和现代化的生产及经营管理方法先后汇聚于此，并迅速作用，使香港旋即膨胀。香港工业率先从低档、劳动密集型向高档、技术密集型转变，使纺织、制衣业让位于机械、电子、玩具等工业，向现代化生产、经营方向发展。 香港自50年代开始由转口港向制造业中心发展。70年代，风向又发生变化，由于香港经济向多元化发展，香港的制造业又开始下降，代之而起的是第三产业、转口贸易和制造业并驾而驱，它既是远东最大的贸易港口，还是远东国际金融中心，同时它的旅游业和建筑业也相当发达。 香港更令人拍案称奇的是华资、中资在资本界的崛起。香港历来受英资财团所控制，70年代，英资财团在港投资总额达600亿港元，比美资高出两倍，比日资高出三倍。英资集团雄踞香港经济峰峦之上，真是一览众山小，虎视何雄哉。由于经济称雄，使英资财团跻身于行政、立法两局之中，在一定程度上左右着港英政策。华资历来在英资之下，对英资望而生畏，不敢与其一争高下。然而，到了70年代后期，形势发生急剧变化，一批有作为的华资集团跃跃欲试，想趁英资注意力分散时向它们占领的阵地发起冲击，取而代之。