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Preface m hi s book is not a history of post-war Hong Kong; it is an account m o f experiences of and reflections o n living and working in Hon g M Kon g o n th e doorste p o f mainlan d Chin a fro m 195 7 until, a s a • Specia l Administrative Region, we crossed the threshold of the new m century . It is an account of some of the challenges I faced as a member of the government, and, because I found politics of such absorbing interest, inevitably it contains much about political development and logs aspects of the march o f events leading t o the return o f Hong Kon g to China . I t also contain s description s o f untowar d event s an d ground-breakin g decisions which I hope are of more general interest . It is often sai d that Hong Kong suffers fro m a border mentality an d prefers t o thin k o f th e presen t boundar y betwee n Hon g Kon g an d th e mainland a s a protective barrier. My wife an d I crossed th e border, as it was called then, into China many times: first in 197 3 when th e violence of the Cultural Revolution had abated but the country was still in the grip of it s hars h an d frequentl y violen t theorie s o f refor m o f though t an d attitude. A few year s later , followin g it s openin g t o th e world , w e sa w how throughout the land China was stirring, and how far removed it was from many of the available descriptions. To give the book more balance, I have included among these pages an account of some of these visits. The record is incomplete because my memory is incomplete. It is not an autobiography, a chronology of our lives, but a record of things which stand out most in the memory. There will be those who will say 'Oh, but it was not like that', and I ask their forbearance . Preface his book is not a history ofpost-war Hong Kong; it is an account of experiences of and reflections on living and working in Hong Kong on the doorstep of mainland China from 1957 until, as a Special Administrative Region, we crossed the threshold of the new century. It is an account ofsome of the challenges I faced as a member of the government, and, because I found politics ofsuch absorbing interest, inevitably it contains much about political development and logs aspects of the march of events leading to the return of Hong Kong to China. It also contains descriptions of untoward events and ground-breaking decisions which I hope are of more general interest. It is often said that Hong Kong suffers from a border mentality and prefers to think of the present boundary between Hong Kong and the mainland as a protective barrier. My wife and I crossed the border, as it was called then, into China many times: first in 1973 when the violence of the Cultural Revolution had abated but the country was still in the grip of its harsh and frequently violent theories of reform of thought and attitude. A few years later, following its opening to the world, we saw how throughout the land China was stirring, and how far removed it was from many of the available descriptions. To give the book more balance, I have included among these pages an account of some of these visits. The record is incomplete because my memory is incomplete. It is not an autobiography, a chronology of our lives, but a record of things which stand out most in the memory. There will be those who will say 'Oh, but it was not like that', and I ask their forbearance. I hop e i t wil l b e rea d b y a wider audienc e tha n simpl y thos e wh o have lived or are living in Hong Kong, and that they will find occasiona l delight and enjoy reading about how Hong Kong, this special small place of crowde d pavements , skyscrapers , gian t ships , mountains , seascape s and forests , ha s managed , withou t natura l resources , t o surviv e an d flourish. Today, government is more challenged as it strives...

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