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CONFIDENTIAL
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URBCO DEBATE ON HK'S FUTURE:
Prominence was given to the Urbco annual debate in which nearly half the councillors spoke on HK's prospects. On the first day's debate, principal independent papers played up the suggestion by the chairman, Mr. Hilton Cheong-leen, that the "three-legged table" relationship between Britain, China and HK should continue for another 30 years until China's living standards caught up. Left-wing papers emphasised that councillors had expressed confidence in HK's future. At the resumed debate, Mr. Cheong-leen's proposal was supported by Mr. Augustine Chung and Mr. Edmund Chow. Mr. Francis Chaine and Mr. Walter Sulke urged people to be more concerned about the present problem rather than by 1997 which was 15 years away. Mr. Howard Young and Mrs. Selina Chow stressed the importance of maintaining the status quo.
Mr. Cheong-leen's proposal came under strong criticism from the left-wing press. In its leading article, the New Evening Post mentioned him by name and said such a proposition was tantamount to China signing another lease. This was out of the question because it would be against national dignity. The Chinese Government would arouse public indignation and would not be accountable to its people if it agreed to extend the lease. It said a difference in living standards was not an excuse to delay recovery of HK. Despite the fact that living standards in Northern Ireland were lower than in England, such a variance should in no way be regarded as a reason to oppose the British Government exercising sovereign rights in these two places. On a similar line, Ta Kung Pao said editorially that the continuity of the "three-legged" situation ran counter to China's plan to regain sovereignty and belittled HK people's ability to administer themselves. The paper described the suggestion as wishful thinking. It also said from the date the People's Republic of China was founded it had been waiting for its chance to regain sovereignty over HK. The day of extending British rule here would never come.
The proposal to maintain the "three-legged" relationship for another 30 years was however supported by two independent papers. Sing Tao Jih Pao said it was the wish of the five million population in HK to see that there was a transitional period of 20 to 30 years before HK was to revert to China. It said Urban Councillors were less restrained than Legco members and could speak more candidly. As far as the transitional arrangements were concerned, Urbco members were echoing the views of the majority of the people in HK. The Express said the transitional period was a feasible accommodation and an appropriate compromise beneficial to Britain, China and HK, and one that would be welcomed by HK residents.
The SCMP said in a rare show of unity the Councillors had called on HK people to prepare themselves for 1997; they said stability and prosperity could be maintained, and called on the public to be prepared to administer HK themselves after 1997. In recording the other speeches, the paper reported Dr. Denny Huang said the view that HK people only knew how to make money was not unexpected as HK had been under colonial rule for over 100 years; Mr. Tsin Sai-nin said time was needed to educate the people and for them to adapt
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