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8.
4.
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But Chinese entry into the United Nations
and the Security Council has stirred the local imagination as something permanent, concrete and right, as has the evident diplomatic victory over the United States and its allies. This has reinforced the quickening of pride and interest in China which always manifests itself here during the moderate half of each Chinese political cycle - it has always to be borne in mind that this is basically a Chinese city. But the interest and its implications even amongst young people, remains surprisingly restricted.
This, we know, worries
and perplexes Communist officials here, and they are concentrating hard on united front tactics so as to expand it. For my part I think that the critical factor is the local population's calculation of economic possibilities for them in Hong Kong, and their ability to make a first-hand comparison with conditions of life in Kwangtung. So long as they know, as they do now, that the balance of advantage is so much in favour of Hong Kong, the pull of China is emotional only and has little practical implication always provided of course that they are not confronted with a threat of actual change of sovereignty. The comparatively open frontier, the hundreds of thousands who visit China each year, and the steady stream of escapees by swimming or boat, all play their part in making it virtually impossible to distort the facts by propaganda.
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Though I myself may take a more sombre view, and may have constantly in mind how to keep the population's confidence undisturbed, and how to gain time and cohesion against the pressure that may come, whether by design or mischance, I don't think this is the view of Hong Kong at this time. People are more concerned with conditions of life for themselves and their children and with their prospects of betterment.
10.
This makes the social policy of the Hong Kong Government and what is done to improve living conditions of particular significance for the Colony's future. Moreover I find that in the last ten years the population has become much less fatalistic about conditions of life and more expectant of Government. Its standards of food and clothing and, incidentally, the weight and height of young people, have markedly improved, as have amenities - over 60% of families have television and the amount of leisure. Naturally the more they have and the more time they have to think about it, the more they want.
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