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There is nothing which Britain or China can do to stop Hong Kong being a matter of global concern and interest.
Question: The Director of the HKMAO, Lu Ping, was sent to Hong Kong to consult He has chosen to Hong Kong on the provisional legislature before it was set up. exclude members of the professional teachers union because they don't support -
Chris Patten: Because they are democrats.
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Question: the provisional legislature. How do you feel generally about Lu Ping's consultation process and his choice of selective consultation?
Chris Patten: I am sure that people in Hong Kong and people outside Hong Kong will regard any institution as less credible if its establishment is on the basis of advice from all those people, or, only those people, who say what some Chinese officials want to hear.
What is the situation with which Chinese officials now find themselves dealing? It is a situation in which they know perfectly well that between 60 and 70 per cent of the people of Hong Kong vote for, support, the democrats. Are those 60 or 70 per cent of the people of Hong Kong so anathematised to be told that their opinions cannot be considered, to be told that they have to be locked out of the political process or the political dialogue? What sort of consultation is that? What sort of credibility or legitimacy would that sort of consultation have?
You cannot govern Hong Kong successfully, you cannot govern any community successfully on the basis that you will only listen to or talk to those people who will guarantee in advance to agree with whatever conclusions you reach. That is not a dialogue. So I very much hope that exposure to a variety of opinions in Hong Kong over the next week will encourage Director Lu to extend his hand to those who may disagree with him, but those who will undoubtedly play an important part in the development of Hong Kong in the years ahead.
What will Hong Kong be like in ten years' time? I am sure it will be an open and democratic community and those who will make it an open and democratic community cannot now be shut out of the debate and discussion about its future. Does it show great confidence in one's own views to say that you will not talk to people who might express a contrary view? I don't think it does.
I hope that the Director, who is an experienced public official, will make it clear that he will talk to anybody in Hong Kong who has a contribution to make to Hong Kong's future, and that means everybody in Hong Kong.