TNAG-1847-FCO40-2622-House-of-Commons-Select-Committee-on-Foreign-Affairs-enquiry-1989 — Page 128

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possibility of growing corruption in China.

They worried that this might spill over into Hong Kong after 1997. They were worried about Daya Bay and rumours of a second plant there. disturbed by reports of companies leaving Hong

They were Kong, and were thinking now about emigration although they lacked the skills necessary to make this very easy. They felt it was imprudent not to make such plans for the sake of their children. STI added that his business contacts gave a slightly more pragmatic view of the future. Business confidence was still high. They were concentrating on more immediate problems like the labour shortage. However long term concerns did surface, particularly concerning emigration. Public concerns on a variety of issues tended to be very much media-led, and changing from day to day. SES said that in the middle class there were very deep feelings about nationality and the lack of right of abode in the UK. Portuguese policy on Macau had stirred up old resentments. There was concern about the brain drain. Civil service wastage was low but there were worries that it would increase. The Governor said that members would note that the Basic Law did not seem to be central to the concerns of ordinary people.

3.

Mr. Howell asked whether there were signs that confidence had declined in the very recent paste.g. as a result had attitudes to direct elections changed since 1987? The Governor said that the general level of confidence had not changed much over the last two years. However there were blips on this general line. We were having one now. There were current concerns about the situation in China, China's policies on human rights, rumours about Daya Bay etc. By and large the decision taken in 1987 in favour of direct elections in 1991 had been accepted. Interest had been revived recently more by comments from outside Hong Kong and by the committee's own visit. Otherwise the community were thinking more about the speed of evolution up to 1997 and beyond in terms of progress to universal suffrage under the Basic Law. Divided views remained but people were now thinking of beyond 1991 not of changing the decisions taken in 1988. CS added that emigration was now a major talking point. Nevertheless some elements of the situation were no different from that for many years past: the limit of emigration was set by the quotas or criteria of recipient countries. Consequently major changes in these criteria had a very unsettling effect. Mr. Wells asked if we had asked friendly Consulates to reduce their rates of admissions. The Governor said we had not. It would not be a practical or sensible thing to do. But we had to realise that increased émigration posed real problems. Furthermore, the image of Hong Kong as a transient society created its own worries and eroded a sense of belonging to Hong Kong.