Vice-Chancellor's Report 1985-87

whose hear t lie s wit h China . The y frequentl y contribut e thei r view s an d commerits on majo r development s o f China , eithe r throug h publicatio n i n academic journals , magazine s o r newspapers , o r otherwis e throug h talks , inter - views an d personal contacts of various sorts when they make visits t o the Mainland. And I migh t sa y tha t thei r voic e ha s now earne d attention an d respect . Undoubtedly the y ar e highl y consciou s o f thei r unusua l responsibilit y a s Chinese intellectual s a t this particular juncture , an d I am sure they would spare no effor t i n sharpenin g thei r ow n intellec t an d striving fo r eve r greate r dept h and substanc e i n wha t the y ca n contribut e toward s th e modernizatio n o f China. I a m als o hopefu l tha t mor e universit y graduate s an d professional s i n Hong Kon g would now choos e t o adop t a longer vie w an d wider perspectiv e o f the worl d aroun d them , an d realiz e the y to o hav e responsibilitie s beyon d th e advancement o f thei r persona l careers . Indee d I woul d thin k i t i s onl y thu s that Hon g Kon g can hope t o hav e long-ter m prospect s i n it s future . In sayin g al l this , I hav e no t fo r a momen t los t sigh t o f th e fac t tha t Hong Kon g i s but a minute spec k o f sand i n th e ocea n tha t i s China. O n th e other hand , w e mus t no t forget , either , tha t throughou t histor y a new ide a or a wind o f chang e ofte n start s i n a small, imperceptibl e way , the n i t graduall y builds u p it s strengt h an d eventuall y turn s int o a prevalent, irresistibl e movement which surprise s us with it s magnitude. No w tha t majo r changes in pursui t of modernizatio n hav e alread y bee n se t i n motio n i n China , shoul d no t th e people o f Hon g Kong , wh o hav e suc h a nose fo r followin g th e win d ahea d o f the entir e world , als o rise to the occasion and contribute thei r shar e of zeal and spark? These ar e the thought s tha t I wish to share with you , m y colleagues and students, whe n thi s momentou s yea r o f 198 4 i s drawing t o a close. 36