Fin de Siècle Hong Kong: The Patten Controversy

FIN DE SIÈCLE HONG KONG: THE PATTEN CONTROVERSY Lanxin Xiang v^urrent debate over Hong Kong has drawn commentary from an unusually large number ofinternational luminaries ofdifferent political persuasions. The prevailing mood in die West is pessimistic, as a result of the uncertainty brought on by the end ofthe Cold War and a deep mood offin de siècle (endof -die-century anxiety).1 This pessimism, fed by die awareness that die Chinese economy seems to be taking off, has prompted a widespread China scare.2 The China scare phenomenon is reinforced by the consensus in die West diat Great Britain has sold Hong Kong down die river to a communist tyranny. Especially after die Tiananmen tragedy die Hong Kong setdement between 1 There are, of course, a few optimists whose views on the Hong Kong setdement, though eloquendy expressed, are largely buried in die dust stirred up by the Tiananmen tragedy of 1989, a tragedy that quickly internationalized die Hong Kong debate. See, for example, William H. Overholt, "Hong Kong and China after 1997: The Real Issues," in Proceedings ofthe Academy of Political Science, vol. 38, no. 2 (1991), 30-52. See also the criticism ofthe Patten reform of Lee Kuan Yew, the former Prime Minister of Singapore, in The Economist, December 19, 1992. -' Various explicit and implicit "China Threat" dieories are rampant in many publications. See, for example, Graham Hutchings, "A New Threat from the East," The Spectator (London), May 8, 1993, and Samuel P. Huntington, "The Clash of Civilizations," Foreign Affairs, vol. 72, no. 3 (1993). Lanxin Xiang is an assistant professor at Clemson University. A graduate of Fudan University in Shanghai, he earned his M.A. and Ph.D. in European studies from SAIS. He was an Olin Fellow at Yale University's International Security Program from 1992 to 1993 and has contributed articles to Orbis, Journal of Contemporary History, and Communist and Post-Communist Studies. He is the audior of Recasting the Imperial Far East: Britain and America in China, 1945-1950, forthcoming and is currendy working on Fin de Siècle Beijing: The Boxer War of 1 900. 119 120 SAIS Review WINTER-SPRING 1994 London and Beijing has begun to look like a new "Munich Agreement"—a setdement designed to appease a communist giant, widi consequences diat seem bodi predictable and deplorable. More important, die Hong Kong debate has been internationalized beyond die scope ofdie Anglo-Chinese bilateral relationship. In the West, die conservative critique of the Hong Kong setdement focuses on Britain's, especially Mrs. (now Baroness) Thatcher's, alleged betrayal ofdie conservative ideology. This gave rise to the charge of "perfidious Albion"3—that is, die pragmatic British always willing to sell dieir souls to die devil ifdiey can in die meantime guard their interests. The "Munich analogy" is among the most common accusations. London, ofcourse, has heard this kind ofcharge before, for example, when die Labour cabinet extended recognition to the triumphant communist regime in China in early 1950.4 But Hong Kong is different. Since the colony is considered to be a quintessential model oflaissez-faire capitalism, conservative commentators cannot tolerate the diought diat die person who presides over the relinquishment ofdits shiningexample ofconservatism is one of dieir own. The liberal attack is also focused on Thatcherite conservatism, not on its sinful betrayal, but on its logical consistency. Liberals describe Hong Kong as a place where the majority of people are striving for democracy, but where such aspirations are ignored and subdued by Britain's perfidious secret diplomacy. Therefore, they seize upon die Hong Kong setdement between China and Great Britain as the major failure ofthe type ofconservatism diat dominated die West diroughout die eighties.5 Widi no intention to participate in the "Perfidious Albion" polemic, diis article explores die roots ofthe dispute only from die Anglo-Chinese bilateral perspective. From this viewpoint, die black and white picture offreedom versus communist tyranny is somewhat murkier. ' See, for example, William McGum, Perfidious Albion: The Abandonment of Hong Kong 1997 (Washington, D.C: Ethics and Public Policy Center, 1 992), especially William Buckley, Jr.'s preface. See also William McGum, "Mrs. Thatcher's Munich," Neujsueelc, July 9, 1990, 8. 4...