Vice-Chancellor's Report 1985-87

A Histori c Momen t fo rHon g Kon g Opening Ceremony of the ChineseArts Festival (27th September, 1984) Mr. Lo, Ladies and Gentlemen, We ar e mos t happ y t o hav e Mr . L o her e w i t h u s toda y a t th e Openin g Ceremony o f thi s Chines e Art s Festival . A prominent publi c figur e an d a successful industrialist, Mr . L o i s also a most enthusiasti c connoisseu r an d collecto r of Chines e cerami c art , wh o ha s furthermor e worke d fo r th e improvemen t o f the mode m Chines e industr y i n cerami c artefacts . I t is therefore a great honou r and pleasur e indee d tha t Mr . L o ha s kindl y agree d t o cu t th e ribbon s fo r thi s Arts Festival , whic h i s bein g hel d fo r popularizin g th e fol k an d traditiona l art s of China . That th e Universit y Studen t Un i o n ha s chose n thi s particula r da y fo r th e opening o f thi s Art s Festiva l i s a memorabl e coincidence , fo r thi s i s a histori c moment fo r Hon g Kon g a s well a s for China . A s w e al l know , Chin a an d Grea t Britain hav e jus t initialle d a Draf t Agreemen t o n th e futur e o f Hon g Kong , in which i t was announce d tha t Chin a woul d resum e th e exercis e o f sovereignt y over Hon g Kon g i n 1997 , an d would establis h Hon g Kon g a s a Special Administrative Region havin g it s ow n highl y autonomou s Governmen t compose d of local Hon g Kon g peopl e an d w i t h a commitment t o maintainin g th e presen t socio-political syste m o f Hong Kon g basicall y unchange d fo r fift y years . An Annex o f th e Agreemen t als o se t ou t i n detai l th e policie s an d arrangement s that Chin a woul d mak e fo r th e realizatio n o f suc h aims . The announcemen t mad e i t clear tha t th e futur e o f Hon g Kon g mus t b e decided i n accordance w i t h th e overridin g principl e tha t th e integrit y of Chinese sovereignt y mus t b e respected ; a t the sam e tim e i t also showe d tha t both th e Chines e an d th e Britis h Government s ar e sincer e an d determine d in their wis h o f maintainin g th e prosperit y an d vitalit y o f Hon g Kong , an d woul d take necessar y practica l measure s toward s thi s end . W i t h it s detailed an d specific provisions , th e Draf t Agreemen t present s t o u s no les s than a blueprin t for th e futur e developmen t o f Hon g Kong . I t is a good blueprint , an d th e goal s envisaged therei n ar e mos t commendable . Nevertheles s it s realizatio n canno t depend o n th e tw o Government s alone , bu t rathe r hinge s o n whethe r th e Hon g Kong peopl e woul d no w pu t thei r shoulde r t o th e tas k a t han d an d full y tak e up thei r responsibilit y t o themselves . The tw o mos t urgen t task s no w facin g th e Hon g Kon g peopl e are : one , to lear n th e ar t o f self-government and , two , t o understand Chin a an d to strengthen thei r tie s an d cooperatio n w i t h China . Hon g Kon g peopl e hav e in the pas t excelle d i n thei r single-minde d pursui t o f oversea s trad e developmen t and economi c growth , whic h ar e wha t mak e Hon g Kon g i t is today . Unfortunately, this preoccupatio n ha s bee n pursue d t o the neglec t o f their sens e of community an d o f thei r ow n roots , resultin g i n antipath y an d fea r toward s participation in an d discussio n o f publi c affairs , an d incomprehensio n an d alienation towards al l thing s associate d w i t h Mainlan d China . No w tha t Hon g Kon g people hav e t o stan d u p an d manag e it s ow n affairs , an d t o dea l w i t h Chin a in an increasin g numbe r o f matters , i t is clearl y hig h tim e tha t deficiencie s i n ou r public sens e an d 'Chin a sense ' b e remedie d a t th e earlies t possibl e moment . The Chines e Universit y o f Hong Kong , o n th e othe r hand , ha s bee n 31