Many people in the Crown Colony are highly suspicious of the Chinese Government's assurance that it does not intend to alteI Hong Kong's life-style. Will it still be possible to make trips abroad at any time under Chinese sovereignty? To what extent will the laws of Communist-ruled China then also apply to liong Kong? What will be the position on freedom of speech under Chinese rulc? No one in Hong Kong has an answer to these questions.
remain silent.
Officials
The media in Hong Kong have adopted a friendlier approach to China in their reporting recently. Critical articles on the Communist regime across the border are rare. Statements put out by the "New China News Agency, the mouthpiece of Peking propaganda, are being re-printed to an increasing extent in Hong Kong newspapers, nct only in those financed by the Chinese authorities but even in the 'western' press. At the same time, China is flooding the Hong Kong market with publications containing a mixture of facts and Communist propaganda. The Chinese leadership has obviously launched a major propaganda campaign to prepare the Hong Kong Chinese for take-over day.
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