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Augustine CHENG Luk-san: age 31, single
Chinese University of Hong Kong, 3 Soc Sc 2nd Class Honours Division 1
First Year
Introduction to Sociology
General Psychology
Principles of Economics
International Relationship
Fundamental of Government
Second Year
Sociological Research
Social Analysis
Introduction Social Work
Psychology
Social Anthropology
Personality and Social Role
Social Change
Social Welfare Services
Third Year
Human Growth & Behaviour
Social Work: Principles & Practice
Social Issues and Social Work
Field Work
Social Psychology
Fourth Year
Social Group Work
Group Process
Social Work Research
Sociology of Family & Marriage
Community Work
Social Stratification
Working Experience Legal Secretary, Textile Alliance Ltd., November 1976 - date
Articled Clerk. Philip Remedios & Co., Solicitors,
December 1974 October 1976
Executive Officer II, Civil Service Branch and Information
Services Department, June 1970 November 1974
·
:
Walter Easey on "H.K.'s Critics în U.K. and the
H.K. Research Project"
In response to the suggestion of one or two of the AOS on the Oxford course that they should have a chance to hear a critic of Hong Kong, I invited Walter Easey to talk to the group in the Hong Kong Government Office on 18th December.
2.
He began by identifying Hong Kong's critics in U.K.
as belonging to the following groups:
(a)
(b)
(c)
(a)
The Labour Left - and particularly the Tribune Group contained a number of MPs who were ideologically opposed to colonialism and the type of capitalist society exemplified by Hong Kong.
Valer
The TUC Although supporting a moderate labour govern- ment and a mixed economy at home, Easey observed that the TUC tended to be critical of foreign governments purusing similar policies overseas. Its criticisms varied in stridency in relation to the political complexion of the foreign government and its distance from U.K. He attributed similar mixed motives to a number of unions (e.g. Tailors &
Garment Workers, Hosiery Workers etc.) whose criticisms of Hong Kong were firmly rooted in protectionism and self-interest.
The Churches - A number of radical and liberal Christians were offended by the extremes of wealth and poverty in Hong Kong and the exploitation practised under its capitalist society.
Academics who had spent some time at the universities in Hong Kong and gained academic merit by publishing studies of Hong Kong before moving on to other jobs. Easey conceded that they often had feet in both camps and wrote standard textbooks as well as more agita- tional pamphlets' (e.g. Joe England's contribution to Keith Hopkins' 'Hong Kong an Industrial Colony' as well as writing the more critical Fabian pamphlet
'Hong Kong Britain's responsibility').
Easey explained that each of these groups contained individuals who were interested in Hong Kong and were prepared from time to time to support complaints referred to them from Hong Kong. The only group concerned with full time research on Hong Kong was The Hong Kong Research Project of which he was secretary and the only paid staff member. He emphasised that this pay was very little and he had to take odd jobs to support himself. He said that the World Council of Churches grant to the group had not been renewed and he attributed this to pressure from the Hong Kong churches.
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4/...
2
4.
Easey then spoke about his own position on Hong Kong. He said that he was opposed to the continuation of Hong Kong as a British Colony because he was opposed to Colonialism and Capitalism. Hong Kong had been seized from China by force and its government was undemocratic. China's position on Hong Kong was well known and there was no possibility of Hong Kong ever becoming an independent nation. Hong Kong was only sustained by successive British Governments' commit- ment to its survival. If Britain's support were withdrawn, Hong Kong would revert to China and in his view the sooner this happened, the better.
5.
In response to a question he said that his group had taken some interest in social reform in Hong Kong and some of the Hong Kong Government's measures may have been taken as a result of pressure from his group and other critics. However he thought that social reforms in Hong Kong were merely window dressing and did not solve the real problem. He reiterated his position that Hong Kong must revert to China in the near future.
6.
In response to further questions about the composition of the Hong Kong research project; the commitment of its members to Hong Kong and his explanation of the contradiction between his wish to see Hong Kong revert to China and the interests and wishes of the people of Hong Kong, he said
(a)
(b)
(c)
the members of his group were Europeans and Chinese who had lived or worked in Hong Kong and shared certain socialist principles. The fact that they might not be personally affected as residents of Hong Kong by the outcome of their policies did not negate their right to press for the implementation of these policies.
Hong Kong's existence depended on the British Govern- ment's support and this support was only forthcoming because of the huge sums of money which U.K. made out of Hong Kong. (Easey quoted annual earnings of £600 million but was evasive when asked to break this figure down. He appeared to include earnings of Hong Kong companies controlled by British personnel such as HKSB, Jardines, Swires, etc.). He said that this revenue accrued to the ruling classes in Britain and supported the capitalist system in Britain which it was his duty as a socialist to overthrow.
as regards the wishes of the Hong Kong people, this was a difficult and 'technical' matter. (For obvious reasons I could not take notes during his talk and I got lost at this point in the dialectic). He appeared -to-argue that according to Lenin's theory of nations,
one only had to take account of the wishes of the people in an independent nation. Hong Kong was part of China and could never be an independent nation and therefore one had to have regard to the interests not just of the people of Hong Kong but of the people of the whole of China.
(a)/...