1930-09-21 16:33 BRITISH TRADE COMMISSION
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The HKEJ said Lord Caithness's visit is a fact-finding mission. Several times during his visit he showed his ignorance over Hong Kong affairs. Anyway, his visit was not meaningless to Hong Kong people. Judging from his answers to local journalists at the press conference, we can get a clear message that Britain is shirking its responsibilities for Hong Kong.
Lord Caithness said the new airport scheme is HKG's business SO that it will explain all the queries to China; other problems such as the social order and disciplined forces' salaries can be solved between HKG and the disciplined parties concerned; the problem of Vietnamese boat people is shared by HMG and HKG; HKG will spare no effort to prevent any fraudulent practices in the 91 direct election; Britain has been lobbying other countries to grant the right of abode to Hong Kong people, but it is up to the governments of these countries to make their own decisions.
It is an obvious contrast to the commitments showed by Francis Maude during his visit after June Fourth last year. The then Minister told local people that Britain would make every effort for the well-being of Hong Kong, such as to strive for a good Basic Law and Representative Government System; to get other countries granting passports to Hong Kong people; to carry out the mandatory expatriation of Vietnamese boat people and to draw international concern over Hong Kong.
The tremendous differences in the performance between these two Ministers show Britain's Hong Kong policy has been changed. After the June Fourth crackdown Britain made use of Hong Kong to play the so called international card and public opinion card as a means to force China to make concessions. For this reason Britain was quite willing to make Hong Kong a burden of itself. Now the situation is changed, Hong Kong has lost its value to Britain since the Anglo-Chinese relation has improved.
Francis Maude played a role that pleased Hong Kong people. Unfortunately, Lord Caithness plays a negative one.
TOTAL P.19
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