A PERSONAL VIEW
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to 15,065. Violent crime has, in official parlance, begun to 'level off", but this does not mean that it has been reduced; the police force is very much aware of the seriousness of the problem and is geared to deal with it.
Hong Kong, without doubt, is no longer a centre to which bulk opium is imported for conversion into heroin. The Hong Kong police and Preventive Service have severely disrupted the vital role which the eclipsed 'Mr Bigs' once played, forcing them to suspend their operations. The main challenge to them now is to make sure that the past pattern of importing bulk narcotics is not resumed or, if it is, to see that it is similarly disrupted.
Anglo-Chinese Relations
An essential condition for Hong Kong's recovery-and indeed survival-is relationship with China, which has never been more cordial and mutually rewarding. The Governor made special reference to this influence in his 1975 address to the Legislative Council: 'I am sure that the excellent state of Anglo-Chinese relations and the friendly and practical way in which it has been possible to deal with any matters affecting Hong Kong have contributed to stability and confidence here during the year'.
To look back, there were once two ancient cliche references to Hong Kong: 'laissez-faire' and 'resilience'. They have now been reduced to one. 'Laissez-faire' has been skilfully and pragmatically changed to 'discreet guidance'; it remains to be seen whether 'resilience' will endure. The odds are in favour.
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