14th Mar 2010 (5)
THE FEAR OF 1997
After the signing of the Sino-British Joint Declaration and the acceptance of
‘one- country-two-systems concept recommended by Deng Xiaoping and
during the decade before the return of Hong Kong to Britain in 1997, people
in Hong Kong started to panic over the prospect of being ruled by a
Communist regime. People in the older generation who were themselves
migrants from China might have experienced or heard about the taking over
of Shanghai and the falling into the hands of the Communist and all of the
residents’ freedom and assets in Shanghai had disappeared just in one
night on 27 May 1949.
The outbreak of the Tiananmen Square protest in 1989 elevated the fear of
the people of Hong Kong that they would come under the rule of a dictatorial
and militant government. Many people were pessimistic about the future of
Hong Kong after the transfer of the region’s sovereignty. Mass migration
began and this led to 66,000 people migrating in 1992 alone. It lasted for
about no nearly ten years. Canada, Australia and the United States were
the most popular destinations. From the start of the negotiation between
Britain and China to the hand over in 1997, nearly 1 million people have
emigrated. Consequently Hong Kong suffered serious loss of talents and
capital.
In my circle of friends, we often speculated that there might be restrictions
on travel from midnight of 30th June and we would be stranded in a
communist territory. As my husband was working in the public sector, and
as I travelled to China a lot on business, we did have some confidence in
the ‘one-country-two-systems’ arrangement.. Many people have asked
questions like, ‘Would Kings Road, Prince Edward Road etc. be called by
some kind of propaganda names or would the statue of Queen Victoria be
removed from Victoria Park?
During these years, I have experienced the sadness of seeing dear friends
and close relatives migrating to other countries. Very often, although many
families have migrated overseas, their main bread winners remained in
Hong Kong to continue with their employment in order to support their
families. Children and mother were separated from the fathers and
husbands until the family members were granted permanent residence
status in the countries to which they had immigrated. A common name
was thus created for them 'astronauts’. With the long separation of
husbands and wives, many marriage breakups have happened. It did
happen to a very close relative of mine who had an affair with a girl who
was twenty years his junior when his wife was living in Singapore several
years after residence was granted to the family. Fortunately owing to the
wife's perseverance in rebuilding the relationship, the marriage was
rescued.
Yuen-yee
THE FEAR OF 1997
After the signing of the Sino-British Joint Declaration and the acceptance of
‘one- country-two-systems concept recommended by Deng Xiaoping and
during the decade before the return of Hong Kong to Britain in 1997, people
in Hong Kong started to panic over the prospect of being ruled by a
Communist regime. People in the older generation who were themselves
migrants from China might have experienced or heard about the taking over
of Shanghai and the falling into the hands of the Communist and all of the
residents’ freedom and assets in Shanghai had disappeared just in one
night on 27 May 1949.
The outbreak of the Tiananmen Square protest in 1989 elevated the fear of
the people of Hong Kong that they would come under the rule of a dictatorial
and militant government. Many people were pessimistic about the future of
Hong Kong after the transfer of the region’s sovereignty. Mass migration
began and this led to 66,000 people migrating in 1992 alone. It lasted for
about no nearly ten years. Canada, Australia and the United States were
the most popular destinations. From the start of the negotiation between
Britain and China to the hand over in 1997, nearly 1 million people have
emigrated. Consequently Hong Kong suffered serious loss of talents and
capital.
In my circle of friends, we often speculated that there might be restrictions
on travel from midnight of 30th June and we would be stranded in a
communist territory. As my husband was working in the public sector, and
as I travelled to China a lot on business, we did have some confidence in
the ‘one-country-two-systems’ arrangement.. Many people have asked
questions like, ‘Would Kings Road, Prince Edward Road etc. be called by
some kind of propaganda names or would the statue of Queen Victoria be
removed from Victoria Park?
During these years, I have experienced the sadness of seeing dear friends
and close relatives migrating to other countries. Very often, although many
families have migrated overseas, their main bread winners remained in
Hong Kong to continue with their employment in order to support their
families. Children and mother were separated from the fathers and
husbands until the family members were granted permanent residence
status in the countries to which they had immigrated. A common name
was thus created for them 'astronauts’. With the long separation of
husbands and wives, many marriage breakups have happened. It did
happen to a very close relative of mine who had an affair with a girl who
was twenty years his junior when his wife was living in Singapore several
years after residence was granted to the family. Fortunately owing to the
wife's perseverance in rebuilding the relationship, the marriage was
rescued.
Yuen-yee
