Hong Kong Says “Do Your Best” to Taiwan – “Do Your Worst” to China
Hong Kong Friends, how can you trust the Chinese leadership that rules the future of your business community? How can we be sure there will be no future political pressure or trade war that could threaten the freedoms we enjoy? How can we be certain that our friends in China will not try to manipulate our political system for their own gain? How can we be absolutely sure that our friends in Hong Kong will allow freedom of speech and expression, and maintain the freedoms that have made our nation one of the most free societies in all of the world?
How can you be certain that future American President will uphold the values of liberty, freedom, democracy and freedom in hong kong? How can you be sure that future Canadian premier will protect Canada’s values of human rights, freedom, not only in Canada but also in Hong Kong? How can you be certain that a future German leader will be able to guarantee freedom and democracy in Germany and China? How can you be sure that a future Brazilian leader will protect our interests in Brazil? How can you be absolutely certain that a future Australian premier will defend our economic interests in Australia and China?
The answers are difficult to come by. The answers are even harder to understand. Why is it that so few people are willing to risk their freedom, their lives and their economic well-being for the sake of “free speech,” “freedom of religion” or “economic freedom.” What future generations will know that they are free if they don’t accept the freedoms being denied today? The future of hong kongers rests on accepting the current freedoms that exist in China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, South Korea and Japan, and tolerating the freedoms that are being stripped away by our Western brothers sometime in the future.
Are you ready to help ensure future freedom in China? Are you ready to help ensure that the future of China is a freer and prosperous society? The future of China depends upon whether its business practices are reformed and whether it maintains its friendly relationship with the U.S. and other neighboring nations. Is China ready to make changes to improve its horrible human rights record and to develop a more tolerant and open society? The future of China depends on your helping to ensure that it continues to grow and excel, and that it is not shackled by the heavy hand of a corrupt and oppressive regime.
As the future Chinese leader makes his way toward becoming a global leader and hopefully someday the next president of the United States, you might want to think about throwing your support behind him and his lifelong effort to improve the quality of life for all Chinese people. As one of Hong Kong’s most successful business men, one who has come to the city from decades spent representing China on the world stage, I know what it means to be in the Chinese camp. I know how tough it is to live under a one-party rule that has so much corruption and bureaucracy. I know how difficult it is to see great China become a poor nation and I know how you can help.
As an American citizen who is a fluent speaker of Chinese and who has lived and worked in China for the better part of twenty-five years, I have watched the rise and fall of numerous Chinese leadership over the years. I am afraid that with the current situation in China today, it is very difficult to predict correctly the path for China in the future. However, I do believe that the current US/Western detente, currently in place, is temporary and we will soon see China take another course and I believe it will be towards more restrictive measures, possibly curtailing the economic freedoms which have made their country so prosperous in the past.