TNAG-0944-FCO40-1163-Future-of-Hong-Kong-1980 — Page 93

HOM KONG MAGAZINE ANALYZES HONG KONG'S FUTURE

HK 041030 TAKE 1 OF 6--HONG KONG'S FUTURE

HONG KONG KUA NG CHIAO CHING NO. 94 IN CHINESE 16 JUL 80 PP 4-2

((ARTICLE BY CHIANG WEI-WEN: "WHO IS TO MANAGE HONG KONG 7--ON

HONG KONG'S FUTURE"))

((TEXT)) SOME PREDICTIONS ON HONG KONG'S FUTURE ((SUBHEAD))

SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE 1980'S, HONG KONG'S FUTURE HAS BECOME

ONE OF THE MOST TALKED ABOUT QUESTIONS AMONG SENSITIVE PERSONAGES.

THIS CONCERN IS NOT ACCIDENTAL. AFTER MORE THAN 10 YEARS OF

UPHEAVAL, THE CHINESE POLITICAL SITUATION HAS BECOME GENERALLY

STABLE. THE FOUR MODERNIZATIONS PROGRAM IS PROGRESSING STEADILY.

IN HONG KONG, A NEW GENERATION HAS MATURED. SOME MIDDLE CLASS

PEOPLE WHO HAVE RECEIVED HIGHER EDUCATION ARE ACTIVELY SEEKING

ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL POWER. WITHIN THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT,

COVER NOR MACLEHOSE HAS BEEN IN OFFICE FOR A LONG TERM OF 12

YEARS AND MANY HIGH OFFICIALS OF RETIREMENT AGE ARE STILL BEING

HOWEVER THE SITUATION CANNOT GO ON LIKE THIS FOREVER...

WITH CONCERN COMES SPECULATION. WHAT WILL BECOME OF HONG

RETAINED.

KONG? 1997 IS A SENSITIVE NUMBER. BUT THE REALISTIC HONG KONG

PEOPLE DO NOT TRY TO EVADE THIS QUESTION,

THEY ARE SPECULATING ON

WHETHER CHINA WILL TAKE FACK HONG KONG. IF IT DOES, WHAT WILL

IT BE LIKE? AT PRESENT, IS HONG KONG BECOMING GUANGZHOU IZ ED ?

BE LIKE? AT PRESENT

OR IS GUANGZHOU BECOMING HONG KONGIZED?

ARE THE GOVERNMENTS OF

CHINA AND BRITAIN CONDUCTING SOME SORT OF PRIVATE NEGOTIATIONS

TO DECIDE THE FATE OF MORE THAN 5 MILLION HONG KONG PEOPLE? THERE

ARE VARIED SPECULATIONS BUT THEY CAN BE SUMMED UP IN THREE BASIC

PREDICTIONS:

FIRST, THE QUESTION OF THE LEASE WILL NOT BE RESOLVED BY

1997 AND CHINA WILL GRUDGINGLY TAKE BACK HONG KONG, BOTH THE

CHINESE AND BRITISH GOVERNMENTS WILL TIGHTLY GUARD THIS SECRET

FOR THEIR OWN INTERESTS.

THEREFORE

WHEN THE TIME COMES. THERE