own government; preserve its capitalist system; retain its human rights, laws, legal system, convertible currency, financial markets and free port. In the last year the Chinese have frequently reaffirmed their commitment to "one country, two systems". China's recently promulgated Basic Law states that socialism will not be extended to Hong Kong for at least half a century. On recent evidence you would get shorter odds on Hong Kong lasting fifty years than on socialism doing so.
This will not be a simple track for British policy over the next several years. It would of course be easier in one way to change to a policy of striking attitudes. But we cannot tow Hong Kong into the Pacific and start again regardless of China and it is no use pretending that we could. In another way it would be easier simply to avoid all argument with China and treat Hong Kong as if her destiny was to become just another Chinese province like the others. But that is not what the Agreement says and not what Hong Kong needs. Our responsibility is to help prepare Hong Kong and China for a genuine 'one country two systems'. It will mean much patient and often quiet persuasion, and difficult decisions in Hong Kong itself. But we have made reasonable progress in recent months, and the situation is a good deal calmer than it was. The combination of British Administration and Chinese capitalism remains a potent mixture, and provided we hold steady against the various buffets which will come our way it is reasonable to hope that the prospect set out in the Joint Declaration will become reality. That this is the best available prospect I do not doubt.
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