TNAG-0360-FCO40-396-Visit-of-HRH-Princess-Alexandra-and-the-Hon-Angus-Ogilvy-to--1972 — Page 139

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VISIT OF HER ROYAL HIGHNESS PRINCESS ALEXANDRA

Background Note

1.

TO HONG KONG

OCTOBER 1972

The Colony of Hong Kong has a highly sophisticated com-

munity with modern facilities of all kinds comparable with

anywhere else in the world. Its people (98 per cent of whom

are Chinese in origin) are hard working, intelligent and

full of initiative and ingenuity. The combination of their

efforts with the existence of a stable British administration

has enabled Hong Kong, despite a notable absence of natural

resources (except for her harbour), to develop a thriving

economy based largely on domestic exports to overseas markets

of which the main ones are the United States, the United

Kingdom, West Germany and Japan.

2. The Chinese Government has always regarded Hong Kong as

part of China and this fact, coupled with the Colony's

juxtaposition to the Chinese mainland, rules out the possi-

bility of any constitutional development in Hong Kong towards

self government.

community with its great density of population (it is one of

the most densely populated areas in the world) has to be

administered under a Crown Colony type of constitution whereby

the Governor administers the Colony assisted by an Executive

Council and a Legislative Council. There is no elected

representation on either of these two bodies, the membership

of which consists of Government officials and unofficial

members nominated by the Governor.

Because of this, Hong Kong's highly complex

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