1992-10-19 17:40 INFORMATION SERVICES DEPT
858 581 7735 F.06
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COMMENTARIES
POLICY ADDRESS
The policy address remained a major topic among leader writers and commentators today and yesterday. The left-wing press had carried on with its attack on the constitutional package in no fewer than 20 commentaries.
A prominent commentary by Lau Hiu-keng in Ken Wei Po today likened the Governor's political package to the "overcoat of a buccaneer". The writer pointed out that 150 years ago, when the British baccaneers came to China, they had dressed themselves up in an overcoat called "equality", forcing China to open up itself to trade with their gun-boat policy. Now, these buccaneers were dressed in the overcoat of "democracy" and had waged a new struggle similar to their bid to smuggle in opium to China a century ago. In total disregard of China's sovereignty over HE, they had tried to implant a representative Government in the territory and take over China's role of determining the democratic system for HK, using people confronting China as their tool. Lashing out at the greed of the buccaneers in "stealing" and "robbing" whatever they could from HK in the remaining five years, the writer said China had learnt its lesson in history and would not be taken in by the British again.
Ta Kung Pao yesterday said Mr Patten now had two choices before him. The first was to go back onto the track of the JD. This would imply sincere negotiations with China and heeding public criticism of his political reforms. This choice would benefit all parties involved, It noted that when the JD was implemented and convergence with the BL was achieved, there would be guarantee for HK's stability and prosperity and the interests of foreign investors, in particular the British, would be preserved. The other choice was to go against the JD and the BL. This would mean bringing to Peking the result of Legco's motion debate on the Election Committee or even the "ludicrous" referendum proposal, and irrespective of China's views, he would be bent on implementing the package. This was a "dangerous" choice indeed.
Ta Kung was convinced that the package was part of the usual attempt by the British to extend their influence in HK through their proteges after they pulled out in 1997. Echoing this view, Yam Chi in a prominent commentary in Wen Wei Po yesterday lashed out at the Governor for trying to force the SAR Government to recognise and accept the fait accompli political changes. The writer said the package, which had been carefully drawn up meet the demands of the liberals such as the UDHK, was not the work of Mr Patten alone. It marked also the finale by the British ruling class prior to their retreat from HK. The low voter turnout rate in the 1991 direct polls was cited to support his argument that democracy should be developed gradually.
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The HK Commercial Daily yesterday urged the Government not to scrap the appointment system for the municipal councils and DBs.
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