TNAG-1249-FCO40-1563-Press-reports-on-the-future-of-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 171

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EQUALITY AND TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY OF STATES AND OPPOSED COLONIALISM

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ETC.

4. UNDER B IT IS ARGUED THAT AS SOVEREIGNTY IN LAW STILL BELONGS

TO THE INVADED PARTY AND NOT THE INVADER IT IS NOT LEGALLY POSSIBLE

FOR THE INVADER TO TALK OF EXCHANGING SOVEREIGNTY FOR ADMINISTRATION

IN ANY CASE ADMINISTRATION IS THE CONCRETE EXPRESSION OF A STATE'S

SOVEREIGNTY OVER ITS TERRITORY AND THE TWO CANNOT BE SEEN AS

SEPARATE ENTITIES. THE THEORY THAT SOVEREIGNTY COULD BE DIVIDED

UP WAS A REACTIONARY WESTERN ONE CREATED TO JUSTIFY THE OCCUPATION

OF THE TERRITORY OF OTHERS. IT HAS BEEN SWEPT INTO THE RUBBISH

BIN OF HISTORY.

5. UNDER C IT IS ARGUED THAT A BRITON REPRESENTING THE

PEOPLE OF HONG KONG IN THE TALKS IS A NOTION WITHOUT LEGAL OR

LOGICAL FOUNDATION. THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE BRITISH AUTHORITIES

AND THE PEOPLE IN HONG KONG IS STILL ONE OF COLONIAL RULE.

THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE IN HONG KONG ARE CHINESE

AND SO ONLY THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT CAN TRULY REPRESENT THEM.

THE SPECIAL POLICIES THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT WILL ADOPT TOWARDS

HONG KONG TO PRESERVE ITS WAY OF LIFE ARE EVIDENCE OF THE

CHINESE CONCERN AND SENSE OF RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE PEOPLE OF HONG

KONG.

6. THE ARTICLE CONCLUDES THAT A PRELIMINARY ANALYSIS OF THESE

THREE MATTERS SHOWS THAT CONTINUED BRITISH OCCUPATION AND COLONIAL

RULE WOULD VIOLATE INTERNATIONAL LAW. BUT CHINA'S DECISION TO

RECOVER HONG KONG IN 1997 IS ENTIRELY CONSISTENT WITH THE LAW.

THIS IS RECOGNISED THROUGHOUT THE WORLD AND EVEN AMONG SOME

PEOPLE IN BRITAIN.

7. THE ARTICLE IS SIGNED BY JIN PU, PROBABLY A PSEUDONYM. THOUGH

A NEW ONE TO US.

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