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group told him that China's only concern was sovereignty and it wanted everything here, to remain unchanged. He believed the Chinese Government was now in the process of trying to understand HK's social and economic systems. This was why delegations from China had been visiting and studying this place.
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Urban Councillor: Urban Councillor, Mr. Augustine Chung, said the status quo should be maintained for at least 30 years until living standards in China caught up with HK; China could then serve notice on the British Government to hand over rule. Until then Britain should continue to rule under such systems as it deemed fit to introduce to benefit HK subject to the majority view of the Chinese population. But he said the sovereignty of HK, including Kowloon peninsula and the New Territories, should belong to China. A transitional period was necessary as China did not yet have a proven track record of prosperity and stability. He said China might not win the confidence of the capitalist countries in dealing with and investing in China direct without going through HK. It would be in China's interests not to discourage the continuous exploitation of HK as a bridge by the capitalist countries, or to alarm the people in HK until the time was appropriate.
Margaret Ng: In her column in the SCMP on January 13, entitled "A personal role in politics", Miss Margaret Ng said she was no more clear-sighted than anyone else on the ultimate future of HK. Was the cause one of keeping HK a separate entity from China's communist regime, with British administration, until the people in HK considered the time ripe to become part of China? She had a vision of HK being the leaven in the loaf that the new China was to be. HK had the people who knew how the modern world worked and had seen what life there should be. They could bring the message with them as they spread over the land of China and their craving for that life and world would make them a moving force for progress and reforms in that nation, which would transform it into an open and prosperous society all free children of China would be glad to live in. But given the regime which had taken root in China, this was a far-fetched dream. The ultimate being imponderable, the Cause then must remain temporary and piecemeal; namely, for as long as HK lasted, to continue to improve the lives and livelihood of its people, to provide them. with the education and training to make the best of opportunities.
Mr. T.S. Kwok: Mr. T.S. Kwok, chairman of Sun Hung Kai Real Estate Agency, called on 12 January for an early end to the Sino-British talks to boost HK people's confidence. He said the most effective measure to restore confidence was for the negotiating parties to come up with a prompt solution to HK's future the sooner, the better. He hoped a settlement could be reached within this year: flat prices were presently at their lowest and there was low demand for luxury flats.
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