nations. The Heung Yee Kuk realizes that because Hong Kong and the New Territories
are politically and economically linked on the basis of reciprocal aid and
reciprocal benefits, Hong Kong serves as the bridge sustaining the friendly
relations between China and the United Kingdom. In the light of these factors,
the Heung Yee Kuk's plans for social reforms in the New Territories must, in the
first place, take into account the relations and interests of all sides.
The British Government can no longer maintain its past erroneous
viewpoints; neither can it continue allowing the oligarchical Government of Hong
Kong to treat the Hong Kong people with the remnants of the colonial system. What
it must do, when discussing various problems, is to bear in mind the new ideas
and new relations that are built on the basis of equal status between China and
Britain.
The manner in which Britain dealt with the Gibraltar issue over 10 years
ago was a revelation to the New Territories people. They have similar geographical
Gibraltar being a small peninsula at the southern tip of Spain
environments
while the New Territories is situated on the south of China. The Gibraltarians'
demand for social reforms was finally agreed to by the British Government. In the
past, the methods adopted by Britain to handle colonial problems were of varied
political design in order to suit the individual local condition, e.g. the
sanction of the establishment of an elected House of Commons and an appointed
House of Lords for Bermuda and the Bahama Islands, so that the local inhabitants
might have the right to speak. A comparison of the above examples with the present
political situation in the New Territories would show that the Chinese are, after
all, a peace-loving nation, and the New Territories people have not yet presented
any hard terms unacceptable to the British Government. Nonetheless, the Heung Yee
Kuk have to state clearly: "Colonialism is absolutely unwelcome to the New
Territories people." The extent to which they can bear all the unfair measures
taken in the New Territories by the Hong Kong Government has a limit. The most
suitable way to tackle the political situation in today's New Territories is to
introduce social reforms by peaceful negotiation.
It is an undeniable fact that the Hong Kong Goverment effects economic
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