Page 31 - Preservation for the Documentation of Chinese Christianity

GENERAL SECRETARY’S

REPORT

Rev. Kwok Nai Wang

With all sincerity I would like to report our
of Hong Kong. Last year, the wave of emigra­
work between June 1986 and June 1987 to all tion reportedly swept across the lower social
members of the Council and others who have strata. This phenomenon is inextricably
a profound concern for the Council.
connected with the attitude and performance
of the Chinese government in the affairs of
Hong Kong. For example, for safety and
INTRODUCTION economic reasons, 1,040,000 Hong Kong
people signed a petition against the building
of the Daya Bay Nuclear Power Plant, which
1. Confidence in the future
will be just 50km away from Hong Kong, but
Hong Kong has survived the second of its despite this the Chinese government still
twelve years of political transition. Its economic decided to go ahead with the project.
performance of last year was stable and
There is no doubt that Hong Kong's future
satisfactory. Investment from abroad exceeded
the outflowing capital. The Hang Seng Index is in the hands of the Chinese government. As
a result, the people of Hong Kong are very
reached a peak at 3200 points. And the
Government s balance of payments recorded sensitive to comments made by the leaders in
the first surplus in three years. Beijing regarding Hong Kong. The people of
Hong Kong are also deeply concerned about
Nevertheless, the confidence of most people major events taking place within China. They
in the future of Hong Kong has not increased recognise that they, too, are affected by what
because of Hong Kong's economic prosperity; goes on within China. During the past year,
many intellectuals and other people with a deep
on the contrary, it has been on a steady
downward trend. Emigration overseas has concern for social affairs were disillusioned with
been on the increase over the last couple of and anxious about the suppression of the
years, particularly among the rich. They usual­ student movement in China and the fall of Hu
ly move their families and capital abroad while Yaobang, the Party General Secretary.
they remain in Hong Kong to conduct their What about the Church during the past
business, and pay regular visits to their families.
year? In the face of drastic social change, the
Consequently, a new term "astronauts" has Church has reacted rather sluggishly. This
come into fashion. (The literal translation of this could be due to its mode of existence in the
term in Chinese means "the wife is away".) The past, and its traditions which are incompatible
increasing outflow of Hong Kong people is with the challenge brought by the issue of 1997.
indicative of the lack of confidence in the future
Consequently, the church has been at a loss.

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