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BRITAIN HAS NO GREAT INTEREST IN HK
(Ming Pao
22.2.81)
A novel
iden
As the year of 1997 is getting near, the UK would like China to give a clear indication of HK's future. I have met many officials, MPs and people in the political circle in Britain. Their attitude is basically
the same: the British government must work in accordance with treaties
and rules. And the Prime Minister, the cabinet and even the Parliament
would have no authority to change this, unless the constitution is first
amended. China can do things flexibly and can vary decisions according
to international and internal situations. But Britain has no such
convenience when she deals with matters governed by set rules. People
understand that under existing circumstances, China has no intention to
resume HK in 1997. But if both sides fail to make a formal arrangement
beforehand to change the existing provision, Britain will have to follow
the treaties and law according to her traditional practice.
Are Britons so rigid and so prepared to give away the tremendous
benefit? Perhaps this is not the case. The problem is: Britain is
in fact not getting any enormous benefit from keeping HK. People
generally have a misconception that as HK is having a huge surplus every year, all the money is remitted to London. This is absolutely impossible.
The accounts of the two government are not related in any way, and they
have to be responsible for their own surplus or deficit. Strictly speaking,
as far as government finance is concerned, Britain is suffering losses in
keeping HK. There is a department and officials in Britain dealing with HK affairs, but she cannot ask HK to pay for them. Regarding the British garrison here, HK is only responsible for a small portion of the cost. And the cost of purchasing guns, tanks, planes and warships are paid by
British taxpayers, not HK people.
As to trade between the two places, the balance of trade is greatly
in HK's favour every year. If this is interpreted by out-moded and simple
economic theory, ie all favourable trade balances are 'exploitations' (this view certainly is not correst), Britain could be taken as a colony
of HK, and HK is exploiting Britain every year.
!
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