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The Governor's "Letter to Hong Kong"
Following is the full text of the Governor, the Rt Hon Christopher Patten's broadcast on RTHK's "Letter to Hong Kong" today (Sunday):
People keep on saying that 1996 is a year of decision for Hong Kong. Well, in some ways that's not a particularly illuminating description. After all, most years are ones full of decision for a community which, like Hong Kong, lives on one of the high-wires of history. Name almost any year 1984, 1989, 1994, to list three at random - and they seem pretty important ones for Hong Kong. And Hong Kongers - as we think of ourselves make the tough decisions and get on with life, subject always to the microscopic scrutiny of the media, home and away.
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If there is something special about the decisions in 1996, it is quite simply that they are going to be about 1997 - whether you think that's going to be good for you or bad - and they're more urgent for the obvious reason that, as that clock in Tiananmen Square reminds us, 1996 happens to be rather close to 1997.
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Let me say one or two other things about these decisions. The most important is whether to stay in Hong Kong or to go. But that is not a decision available to it's what's called a everyone. There are about half-a-million people here "guesstimate" but it seems pretty near the mark - who have a foreign passport and can choose to leave at the drop of a clanger by a clumsy official. Yet for most people that option simply doesn't exist. For them, there's no choice. So it's not surprising that they have a particular passion for wanting the transition to Chinese sovereignty in 1997 to be successful. Hong Kong is home for them today. And it will be home in the future.
It's not unfair to point out that quite a lot of those who are most critical of the government's efforts to safeguard the way of life of Hong Kong by speaking up for it, even at the risk of annoying Chinese officials, have themselves the option of departing with another passport to a company or to assets domiciled abroad if things don't work out here. I find it hard to understand their argument that it's fine to want the option of living in a free society for oneself, but somehow wrong to stand up for everyone's right to go on living in a free society in Hong Kong.
My aim has been, is and will remain absolutely clear. It seems difficult to get some people to understand that this is the Hong Kong Government's and the British Government's consistent - repeat, consistent - position. We will continue arguing. working, standing up for the promises that were made to the people of Hong Kong in 1984 when the Joint Declaration was signed. The assurance that people can go on running their own domestic affairs in a free and open society is the best way of keeping at home those with a passport option to depart and they would be an awful and desperately sad loss as well as the best way of giving peace of mind and confidence to all those who are going to stay here come what may,
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