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The 'proposal' makes it clear from the very beginning that
it reflects the ideas of a number of businessmen and professionals in
mapping out a government system geared towards the interests of all
the people in Hong Kong. On the other hand, it also recognizes that an
environment conducive to effective commercial activities is essential
to the future well-being of Hongkong people. The grammatical style of
the proposal is more English than Chinese because it was drafted in English and then translated into Chinese.
The guiding thought behind the 'proposal' is very clear.
It
calls for the preservation of the merits of the present government and
underlines the fact that it is only through industrial and commercial
prosperity that the happy lives of people from all sectors in Hong Kong
can be maintained. This line of thinking takes into account not only
the interests of the British Government, but also the wishes of the
silent majority in Hong Kong. It is not far from Peking's idea of
"the social system to remain basically unchanged" and is in line with
the provisions of the Sino-British Joint Declaration.
Members of the local industrial and commercial sector have
all along kept politics at arm's length. They set their minds on
doing business and talk little about politics in order to play safe. However,
after Hong Kong had entered the transition period, they began to
feel a strong sense of crisis. They see some "outspoken" individuals
calling for radical reforms, playing up the role of the legislature,
advocating the formation of political parties and calling for "resisting
communism through democracy". At first, the businessmen and industrialists
thought that these radicals were not entirely without their use. Certain government officials were also happy to see these "outspoken" individuals
making one request after another to Peking; Peking might perhaps become
Wong Tai Sin (translator's note: a Chinese deity reputed to grant every
/wish
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