276
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
way of life and the Hong Kong system to continue for another 50 years after 1997. If this is the scenario of the future, Hong Kong people will from now on have to think and plan more in terms of responsible democratic self-administration.
Hong Kong people are well-known for their pragmatism and hard-headed realism. Most of them do not want to leave Hong Kong and are adopting a wait-and-see attitude as to the details of the agreement which will be worked out between Britain and China. It is essential that both China and Britain should co-operate closely in preserving the confidence of Hong Kong people. The level of the Hang Seng Index on the stock exchange or the current prices on the real estate market may be some indication of investment confidence in Hong Kong but these do not represent the entire picture. What is equally vital is the building of a sense of long-term commitment by Hong Kong people themselves. We cannot lose faith in ourselves or in our resilience to change, or our ability to surmount any unforeseen shoals and turbulences of the transition from British colonial rule to Special Administrative Region status under China's socialist rule.
As it appears likely that a Sino-British agreement accepting the principle of 'Hong Kong people governing Hong Kong' will result from the negotiations, the Hong Kong Government should be planning for progressive changes in administrative structure between now and 1997. I am sure that members will not disagree with the view that people can only learn to govern themselves if they are given the opportunity to actually do so in sufficiently good time.
In the final analysis, the future stability and prosperity of Hong Kong will rest in large measure on Hong Kong people themselves. The earlier they can be involved in the process of self-administration before 1997, the greater confidence they will have in the future beyond that date. They will have to set their sights high if they are to have genuine self-administration after 1997, and aim for higher standards of living, for a Hong Kong style democracy, preservation of the rule of law, personal freedom, and fundamental human rights.
There have been suggestions about having what has been described as adequate 'international guarantees', which may take a variety of forms, such as a formal declaration by the parties concerned at various United Nations and other international forums. Apart from the agreement between China and Britain being recognized as another form of international guarantee, there could be provision for some form of mutual consultation between China and Britain, and perhaps with several of Hong Kong's major economic partners, for an indefinite period after 1997. This type of consultation process could sustain the confidence of Hong Kong people in the future and make sure that Hong Kong will endure as a free port, and a centre for international trade and finance under the free enterprise system.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
Page 156 of 194
277
Confidence in Hong Kong will be further sustained if China continues to invest substantially in Hong Kong's infrastructure such as the development of the New Towns, further M.T.R. expansion into the New Territories, the cross harbour tunnel expansion or a cross harbour bridge, etc. By so doing, our own people would be further encouraged in turn to invest in Hong Kong's future of the 90's and the 21st century as a dynamic citadel of the free enterprise system with the second highest standard of living in Asia.
Today, Hong Kong seeks to diversify its economy and upgrade its existing industries to produce more technological intensified products so as to strengthen its international competitiveness. Hong Kong cannot afford to stand still as should we ever begin to falter there are other cities in Asia which aspire to replace Hong Kong's free port status by the beginning of the 21st century.
Hong Kong has another unique status as a centre where there is expertise in organizing capital ventures, and where there is a pool of entrepreneurial skills which could be made available to launch joint commercial and capital ventures in the modernization of China.
With this year of the Rat, which is the commencement of the new zodiac cycle of 60 years, Hong Kong should for a long time to come be able to make a substantial contribution to the economic development of Guangdong Province and other Provinces in China. It will undoubtedly also give positive support to socialist China's 'open door' policy so that living standards in China can be raised to what has today already been achieved in Hong Kong through the free enterprise system.
The question was put.
The motion was carried unanimously.
MOTIONS
1. MR. WALTER M. SULKE moved the following motion:-
'THAT this Council commissions a scientific enquiry into the hawker problem to allow us to form a judgement as to just how much of an economic need and how much of a social need there is for hawkers to give us a basis for deciding whether this Council should go on spending HK$70 million per annum to subsidize the operations of licenced and inter alia unlicenced hawkers.'
He said (in English):-
'THAT this Council commissions a scientific enquiry into the hawker problem to allow us to form a judgement as to just how much of an economic need and how much of a social need there is for hawkers to give us a basis for deciding whether this Council should go on spending HK$70 million per annum to subsidize the operations of licenced and inter alia unlicenced hawkers.'