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18709
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ABOUT HALF OF HONG KONG'S PRESENT POPULATION OF 5.3 MILLIONS
CAME TO HONG KONG FROM CHINA TO SEEK A BETTER LIFE HERE. THEY DO
NOT RELISH THE TOUGHT OF A RETURN TO CHINESE COMMUNIST RULE.
BUT WHAT OF THE REST OF THE POPULATION? THEY ARE BRITISH NATIONALS
BY BIRTH (A SMALL NUMBER BY NATURALISATION) HOLDING BRITISH PASSPORT
S WITH A RIGHT OF ABODE IN THE BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORY OF HONG
KONG. PARLIAMENT MAY CEDE SOVEREIGNTY OVER THE TERRITORY, BUT IT
CANNOT, BY THE SAME ACT, DEPRIVE BRITISH NATIONALS OF THEIR
NATIONAL STATUS. WHAT THEN WILL BE THE FATE OF HONG KONG'S BDTC'S?
CONTINUE TO ENJOY BRITISH PROTECTION? WILL THEY, AND OTHER HONG KONG
BELONGERS WHO CANNOT ACCEPT THE IDEA OF LIVING UNDER COMMUNIST
AUTHORITY, HAVE A RIGHT TO SETTLEMENT IN THE UNITED KINGDOM AND
SHOULD NOT THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT NEGOTIATE SETTLEMENT PLACES FOR
THEM?
RECENTLY, LWHEN IN HONG KONG, SIR GEOFFREY HOWE SAID THE
AGREEMENT MUST BE SUCH THAT THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT CAN COMMEND IT
TO PARLIAMENT, BUT THE PEOPOLE OF HONG KONG WILL NEED TO KNOW THE
TERMS OF THE AGREEMENT AND HAVE TIME TO EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS,
AND HE ADDED THAT PARLIAMENT ITSELF WILL NEED TIME TO REFLECT
AND TAKE ACCOUNT OF THE VIEWS OF HONG KONG PEOPLE. THE FOREIGN
SECRETARY WAS REITERATING WHAT HAS BEEN SAID MANY TIMES BEFORE,
NAMELY, THAT ANY AGREEMENT RACHED BETWEEN THE BRITISH AND
CHINESE GOVVERNMENTS MUST BE ACCEPTABLE TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG.
THIS RAISES AT LEAST TWO QUESTIONS:
HOW IS IT PROPOSED THAT ACCEPTABILITY IS PUT TO THE TEST?
WHAT WILL BE HMG'S REACTION IF HONG KONG PEOPLE DO NOT ACCEPT THE
AGREEMENT OR PARTS OF IT?
PARLIAMENT CANNOT TAKE LIGHTLY THE RESPONSIBILITY OF TRANSFERRING
AUTHORITY OVER A COMMUNITY (AS OPPOSED TO THE TERRITORY) FOR WHICH
THE CONSTITUTIONAL LINK WITH BRITAIN HAS MEANT SO MUCH FOR SO LONG
TOK A COMMUNIST GOVERNMENT, ALBEIT THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT WHICH
HAS A LEGITIMATE CLAIM TO SOVEREIGNTY OVER THE TERRITORY OF HONG
KONG ITSELF. THE INESCAPABLE FACT IS THAT THE CHINESE
GOVERNMENT IS COMMITTED TO A POLITICL PHILOSOPHY WHICH IS AT
LEAST INCOMPATIBLE, AND AT WORST HOSTILE, TO THE PHILOSOPHY
ON WHICH THE VARIOUS SYSTEMS AND FREEDOMS ENJOYED BY HONG KONGS
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