Name="H.Y.Chong" "Economic reform without political liberty is very weak."
A woman struggles with police as she is dragged away from the east side of the Great Hall of the People where the 15th Communist Party Congress was in session in Beijing Sunday, September 14, 1997. Numerous people have been detained while attempting to deliver petitions or protest letters to the party's delegates.
"I call on all people who geniuely concern for China, and all Chineses who is patriotic, to recognise the fact that economic reform without political liberty is very weak. All we have now( including the Basic Law of Hong Kong) is based on merely words of mouth by a handful of non-elected party boss?"
email="hychong@hkstar.com"
Date: Wed, 3 Sep 97 06:11:14 GMT
To: cybrgbl@deltanet.com
From: DeltaNet Form Processor (formpro@www.deltanet.com)
Subject: Feedback and or Questionscomments="HI!
I happen to glance through the net when I run into your page. I must send my best regards to you since you are really among a handful of Americans who geniuely concern for promoting democracy in another country, without any hint of US national interest nor any trace of Americanism. It is also very regret to see some mainland Chinese readers who rebutt without any supports. I am from Hong Kong.As the newest member of the PRC, Hong Kong is differ from the other mainland Chinese cities by its rule of law, liberty and the openness, and that's precisely what is needed in all of China. As long as there are people who try to migrate , legally or illegally, in mass, there is nothing for this country to be proud of. Since obviously, most people don't feel proud anyway. I am truely puzzled by some of my fellow mainland Chineses. Don;t they see that? Or They see that, but they pretend this is not happening, as most of us do in the pase decades? I call on all people who geniuely concern for China, and all Chineses who is patriotic, to recognise the fact that economic reform without political liberty is very weak. All we have now( including the Basic Law of Hong Kong) is based on merely words of mouth by a handful of non-elected party boss. When they are defeated in any political upheavls, everything could change overnight. If one try to overlook this, then I suggest that he may like to immigrate oversea, since he or she will regret later."
How is life treating you?="like a box of chocolate"
Findout="Just surfed on in!"
Age="29"
City?="Hong Kong Special Administrative Region"
Country?="People's Republic Of China"
recipient="cybrgbl@deltanet.com"
Dear H.Y.,
Thank you for the nice words about my webpage. I am glad to see that you were able to see (as some others were not) beyond the simple East-West dichotomy and understand that the desire to be free is something which transcends culture and ethnicity. I could not agree with you more when you say that economic change without an accompanying political reform makes for weakness. Holding total control in China, the People's Communist Party would like to overlook this. I doubt they will be able to continue the charade forever. Every political regime needs some kind of ideological justification and today the Communist Party of China seems a patchwork of nationalism and socialist slogans nobody believes anymore combined with the usual heavy-handed commissar culture leadership. On the brink of the 21st century, China deserves better.
Political pluralism, the rule of law, and the end to one party rule which have so belatedly come to Hong Kong are part of what has made that city unique and successful. I sincerely hope that does not change now that there are new political masters in town (ie. Hong Kong Special Administrative Region). I very much enjoyed your frenetic city when I was there recently and I wish you much luck in the future.
H.Y, we are both relatively young, half way intelligent, and in positions of semi-importance. Hopefully through our examples and careers we can leave this world a little better than we found it. I will think about your e-mail the next time I read about Mr. Tung Chee-hwa or Lee Kuan Yew talking about "traditional Asian values" and how nobody in China is very interested in democracy or political pluralism.
Please accept these greeting from half a world away from one lover of freedom to another.
Very Truly Yours,
Richard Geib
