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Its description of Gurkha soldiers as "impoverished liepalese peasants" and its reference to "Britain's strategy of, 'making Asians fight Asians'" conforms with the Marxist propaganda line on the Gurkha soldiers in the British Army. These and other untruths will not gain sympathy from those reading the book in Britain.
To illustrate the "administration's lack of concern" for the inhabitants, the writer records the action of two senior members of the Hong Kong Bar Association who went to London to protest about the District Court (Amendment) Act which was introduced by the Hong Long Government as one of its measures to fight violent crime. No indication is given that the Bill was welcomed by Chinese civic leaders or that Chinese public opinion had been clamouring for firmer action by the courts. Turning back to the first page of the pamphlet the reader sees. figures boxed and in heavy type which are obviously intended to highlight the amount of crime in Hong Kong. Subsequent criticism of steps to do something about it is just one example of the inconsistencies which abound throughout.
4
The Economy
Continuing its Marxist slant this section attacks the business and commercial make up of Hong Kong. In a further one- sided presentation the writers make little attempt to conceal their animosity against private enterprise and successful business ventures. The section seeks to convince readers that
"Britain has exploited Hong Kong as a detached component of the U.I." It says, "it would be more accurate to describe Hong Kong as essentially a parasite on China."
Such comments ignore the fact that Hong Kong pays for all its food, water, oil and other items imported from China which provides that country with an important export market and a valuable source of foreign currency.
In its attempts to belittle anything successful in Hong Kong
it distorts the truth in statements such as
"(the cross-harbour tunnel contractors, for example, were allowed to set tolls which brought them back their money in 3 years).'
Even the pamphlets own estimate is generous after 2 years' operation the Harbour Tunnel Company has paid off less than half of the construction costs; but the insinuation ignores the fact that independent estimates did not foresee the usage and popularity of the tunnel which has immeasurably improved movement within Hong Kong, not least for thousands of daily commuters.
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