subjects. It needs something to win over the Chinese population in Hong
Kong. To call them compatriots has allowed the PRC to extend a lot of
services and facilities to the Hong Kong Chinese;
low prices for food
and water supplies are things often mentioned by Chinese officers as a
policy that the PRC would do only for their Own compatriots. Other
medicine, gifts, tourism, investments,
benefits, such as education,
property ownership in China,
and family reunion are given to the Hong
Yet, China built
Kong Chinese, as prefereable and special treatment, without regard to
whether they are British subjects or not.
For example, private
ownership is not allowed under the socialist system.
housing estates in the Special Economic Zones to allow Hong Kong Chinese
and returned overseas Chinese to live in and to own. For years,
migration for family reunion was generally disallowed by the Chinese
authorities, except for Hong Kong Chinese families. Secondly, foreign
considered undesirable for years because of
policy was revised lately, and foreign
But investments from Hong Kong Chinese were
investment in China was
comunist ideology. This
investments are welcomed.
encouraged in the past, and are more preferable now. All the policies
were made as a deliberate move to court Hong Kong Chinese,
do away with any possible separatist move.
23
hopefully to
As a second political intention, calling Hong Kong Chinese
"compatriots"
has also allowed the PRC to have a freer hand to handle
the Chinese politically. As shown in the 1967 riots in Hong Kong, when
a large number of leftist organizations and student unions responded to
the call for a Cultural
Revolution
to
colonialism. a large number
Peking reacted very strongly.
combat imperialism and
of rioters were arrested. Immediately,
Pressure was imposed on the British to
release those rioters. But when the British unyieldingly accused Peking
of intervening in the internal affairs of Hong Kong, Peking fought back.
11.
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