*
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FIRMS WILL HAVE HAD MORE THAN 18 YEARS OF ON-THE-JOB TRAINING
IN HOW TO DO BUSINESS THE HONG KONG WAY. THEY WILL USE HONG
KONG AS A BASE TO INCREASE THEIR TRADE, INVESTMENT AND
FINANCIAL INTERCHANGE WITH THE REST OF THE WORLD JUST AS
FOREIGN FIRMS NOW USE HONG KONG AS A BRIDGE TO CHINA.
DENG XIAOPING'S JANUARY VISIT TO GUANGDONG PROVINCE AND
PARTICULARLY TO SHENZHEN, THE SPECIAL ECONOMIC ZONE ON THE
SINO-HONG KONG BORDER, WAS SYMBOLIC OF SOUTH CHINA'S SUCCESS
AND THE IMPORTANCE ATTACHED TO IT FOR CHINA'S FUTURE. SUBSEQUENT TO DENG'S VISIT, CHINA'S POLITBURO PUBLICLY ISSUED
AN ENDORSEMENT OF DENG'S POLICIES OF ECONOMIC OPENNESS AND
REFORM WHICH, IT STATED, SHOULD BE FOLLOWED FOR THE NEXT
HUNDRED YEARS. THESE DEVELOPMENTS SHOULD RE-ENFORCE THE
POSITIVE TRENDS WHICH HAVE CREATED AN INTEGRATED AND RAPIDLY
GROWING MARKET-ORIENTED ECONOMY IN SOUTHERN CHINA.
PROSPERITY OF THIS ECONOMY, WHICH ALSO INVOLVES INVESTMENTS
FROM THE U.S., SOUTH KOREA AND TAIWAN OFFERS PERHAPS THE BEST
GUARANTEE THAT HONG KONG WILL REMAIN A FINANCIAL, MANUFACTURING
AND COMMUNICATIONS CENTER.
CONTINUED
HONG KONG'S POLITICAL FUTURE
IN ITS LAST YEARS UNDER BRITISH RULE, HONG KONG IS
DEVELOPING ITS OWN UNIQUE POLITICAL IDENTITY. SINCE THE
SIGNING OF THE JOINT DECLARATION, A PROCESS OF DEMOCRATIZATION
HAS BEGUN IN HONG KONG AND BROUGHT THE PARTIAL REALIZATION OF
CHINA'S STATED INTENTION THAT THE HONG KONG PEOPLE THEMSELVES