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060635 MDHIAN 2820
THE SAME PERIOD RETAINED IMPORTS OF INDUSTRIAL MACHINERY GREW BY
19 PERCENT.
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WITH SUCH ECONOMIC SUCCESS HONG KONG CONTINUES TO ENJOY INCREASING PROSPERITY. EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES ALIKE ARE BENEFITING FROM THE CURRENT BOOM BUT THE RESULTANT LABOUR SHORTAGE HAS LED TO PRESSURE FROM THE INDUSTRIAL SECTOR FOR GOVERNMENT TO ALLOW LABOUR TO BE IMPORTED FROM CHINA.
EARLIER
7. POLITICALLY THE PICTURE IS LESS ROSY. WHILE PEOPLE ARE ENCOURAGED BY CHINA'S ATTEMPTS AT MODERNISATION, THEY RETAIN AN ABIDING DISTRUST OF THE CHINESE COMMUNIST PARTY (CCP) AND CHINESE
CADRES. THEY REMAIN UNSETTLED BY THE ANTI-BOURGEOIS LIBERALISATION CAMPAIGN AND HU YAOBANG'S ABRUPT DISMISSAL THIS YEAR: THEY DOUBT THAT CHINESE POLITICAL INSTABILITY IS A
THING OF THE PAST AND WONDER WHAT EFFECT DENG'S PASSING MAY HAVE.
STORIES OF THE ENVY IMPATIENCE AND HEAVY-HANDEDNESS SHOWN BY SOME MAINLAND OFFICIALS IN THEIR DEALINGS WITH HONG KONG PEOPLE
FUEL THESE CONCERNS. THOSE HONG KONG BUSINESSMEN WHO DEAL WITH
THE MAINLAND BUREAUCRACY ARE NOT IMPRESSED. THEY SEE IT AS CORRUPT AND INEFFICIENT: THEY TEND TO RETURN FRUSTRATED AND DISENCHANTED AS A RESULT.
8.
THE INCREASINGLY OBSTRUSIVE HONG KONG BRANCH OF THE CCP IS EVER MORE HEAVILY INVOLVED IN UNITED FRONT ACTIVITY. RECENTLY THIS HAS FOCUSSED ON OPPOSITION TO DIRECT ELECTIONS IN 1988. THE TONE OF THE CAMPAIGN HAS MODERATED SINCE JLG VII SEMICOLON BUT NOT
THE SUBSTANCE. XU JIATUN'S RECENT CALL FOR COMPROMISE IN THE
CURRENT DEBATE ON POLITICAL REFORM WAS GENERALLY WELCOMED. BUT
SOME IN THE PRO-DIRECT ELECTIONS LOBBY WERE CONCERNED AT THE IMPLICATIONS OF APPEARING TO EQUATE DEBATE WITH CONFRONTATION.
LESS CRITICISM BY THE COMMUNIST MEDIA OF THE SUPPOSED
MACHINATIONS OF THE HONG KONG AND UK GOVERNMENTS ALSO HAS ITS DOWNSIDE: THE SUSPICIOUS CLAIM THAT A DEAL MUST HAVE BEEN STRUCK BEHIND THEIR BACKS.
9.
?
CAMPAIGNING BY POLITICALLY ACTIVE PRESSURE GROUPS ON GREEN
PAPER ISSUES IS INTENSIFYING. WITH ONLY TWO WEEKS OF THE
CONSULTATION PERIOD TO GO THE PRO-DIRECT ELECTIONS LOBBY PLANS A MASS PUBLIC RALLY FOR 27 SEPTEMBER. ALREADY THEY HAVE LAUNCHED A MAJOR ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN IN THE PRESS AND HAVE COLLECTED OVER 210,000 SIGNATURES IN SUPPORT OF THE INTRODUCTION OF AN ELEMENT OF DIRECT ELECTIONS IN 1988. BUT THE PUBLIC RESPONSE TO THE
GREEN PAPER CONTINUES TO BE PASSIVE. THERE IS LACK OF BOTH
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