MAR 29 '88 13:43 HK GOVT. SF
P.4
Hong Kong and Its Future
John D. Young, Hong Kong Baptist College
The Basic Law and its implications for China's reunification, Prof. Young made the following main points.
1. Drew attention to the strong PRC desire for the re-unification
of China, and the part to be played by the arrangements being worked out for Hong Kong.
2. Described the use of Hong Kong as bait for Taiwan.
3. Described the PRC United Front activities since 1984 in, and
with regard to Hong Kong, and the Hong Kong reaction thereto.
4. Made the point that the PRC is faced with a difficult balancing act between coming to terms with increased democratisation in Hong Kong, and their fears of a spill over of democracy into the mainland.
5. United Front activity in Hong Kong has comprised, inter alia, cf an appeal to the patriotism of the local population and a campaign to manipulate public opinion.
6. The love of the motherland approach has had some success, to acceptance by the population of the impossibility of independence for Hong Kong, (ahtough a survey had showed a preference for the continuation of British ties).
due
7. The United Front campaign is continuing, basing its appeal on
such factors as the opening up and revival of China etc.
8. The BLCC is being used and manipulated as part of this strategy,
and is thereby losing its credibility.
9. Hong Kong people have reacted mainly in one of three ways, either
by carrying on with business as usual, by emigrating, or seeking to emigrate, or by campaigning in an effort to get a Basic Law which would provide Hong Kong with the promised autonomy etc. 10. In his view it is unlikely that the Hong Kong people, or at
least the thinking part of the population, will be willing to make the sacrifices in terms of subjugation.: to Beijing, threat to the rule of law, personal freedoms etc. apparently being required of them simply for the sake of national unity. 11. There is therefore a need for all concerned, particularly the
PRC, to recognize the essential part to be played by democracy in Hong kong if the eventual goal of re-unification of China is to be achieved.
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