past. We owe a great deal to Patrick - indeed I do not know how we could manage without him as the Editor. He has promised me he will do the 1991 Journal, when he will have done a ten-year stint, but thereafter has some reservations. I would be grateful, therefore, that if anyone feels that they can take on the task, could they please make themselves known. For all the work and frustration, the results are in fact very rewarding; the Journal is not only respected within Hong Kong and well known internationally, but is a good platform for members of the Society to publish their own articles. If you have not yet received yours, please let us know; also, may I remind you we still have back copies of previous Journals and order forms are available from the Secretary.
Finally, I would like to move ourselves forward. A society such as this does, of course, depend on its membership. Altogether the Society has on its books 619 members (114 overseas, and 505 local members); this compares with 645 members (102 overseas and 543 local members) in 1993 and 676 members (80 overseas and 596 local members) in 1992. In other words, there has been an overall decline of around 8% in local members and an increase of 42% in overseas members; the implications are clear. In themselves, these figures are not alarming, but they do show a trend, i.e., that more local members are leaving than being replaced and therefore we should take note of this. The answer is, of course, to attempt to obtain more local members and to do this, we need, I feel, to advertise ourselves more and broaden our appeal without lowering our academic and research interests. Almost certainly, we shall be losing some old-timers with the run-up to 1997, and if we are going to be in a strong position, at least numerically, further thought on future development by the Council will be needed. There will be opportunities because, in 1995, the Society will be celebrating its 35th anniversary, and two major projects are in the pipeline. Firstly, it is intended to bring out an anniversary publication, and under the direction of Dr. Elizabeth Sinn, this is in an advanced state of preparation. Secondly, we intend to put on a series of lectures and activities, hopefully in conjunction with other like-minded organisations in late 1995. You are urged to give these projects your full support.
I have tried in this report to give you a snapshot picture of the health of the Society, what it is doing, and what it hopes to achieve. Your views on all aspects are welcome, and members of Council are only too willing to listen to them at any time. The objects of this Society are to encourage an active interest in East Asia, and in particular China, through the medium of lectures and discussions and by publishing an annual Journal. We are,
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Page 16
past. We owe a great deal to Patrick - indeed I do not know how we could manage without him as the Editor. He has promised me he will do the 1991 Journal, when he will have done a ten year stint, but thereafter has some reservations. I would be grateful therefore that if anyone feels that they can take on the task could they please make themselves known. For all the work and frustration the results are in fact very rewarding; the Journal is not only respected within Hong Kong and well known internationally, but is a good platform for members of the Society to publish their own articles. If you have not yet received yours please let us know; also may I remind you we still have back copies of previous Journals and order forms are available from the Secretary.
Finally, I would like to move ourselves forward. A society such as this does of course depend on its membership. Altogether the Society has on its books 619 members (114 overseas, and 505 local members); this compares with 645 members (102 overseas and 543 local members) in 1993 and 676 members (80 overseas and 596 local members) in 1992. In other words there has been an overall decline of around 8% in local members and an increase of 42% in overseas members; the implications are clear. In themselves these figures are not alarming but they do show a trend, i.e. that more local members are leaving than being replaced and therefore we should take note of this. The answer is of course to attempt to obtain more local members and to do this we need I feel to advertise ourselves more and broaden our appeal without lowering our academic and research interests. Almost certainly we shall be losing some old timers with the run up to 1997, and if we are going to be in a strong position, at least numerically, further thought on future development by the Council will be needed. There will be opportunities, because in 1995 the Society will be celebrating its 35th anniversary and two major projects are in the pipeline. Firstly, it is intended to bring out an anniversary publication and under the direction of Dr. Elizabeth Sinn this is in an advanced state of preparation. Secondly, we intend to put on a series of lectures and activities hopefully in conjunction with other like-minded organisations in late 1995. You are urged to give these projects your
full support.
I have tried in this report to give you a snapshot picture of the health of the Society, what it is doing, and what it hopes to achieve. Your views on all aspects are welcome and members of Council are only too willing to listen to them at any time. The objects of this Society are to encourage an active interest in East Asia, and in particular China, through the medium of lectures and discussions and by publishing an annual Journal. We are,
xiv
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