Speeches and Articles by Former Consul General James R. Keith

"Hong Kong Democracy: Why the U.S. Cares"

Op-ed in Ming Pao by U.S. Consul General James Keith

(The Chinese version of this article was published by Ming Pao on March 9, 2004, and this article is not for commercial use.)

The United States strongly supports democratization as the best way for Hong Kong to maintain its stability and prosperity as well as promote its autonomy. Our policy, as spelled out in the Hong Kong Policy Act, which allows us to treat Hong Kong as a separate customs territory, has worked to the benefit of the people of the United States and the people of Hong Kong since 1997.

The ongoing debate over patriotism, universal suffrage, and the political future of the Hong Kong SAR is important to the United States, given our friendship with and commitment to the people of Hong Kong, and the countless direct links that have been created with generation after generation of Hong Kong and American students and businessmen and women. America has been a friend and partner of free people and free markets throughout the world, not only in Hong Kong, because we believe firmly that the more people have a right to choose their own destiny, the more likely they are to create stable and prosperous societies that will engage the United States in productive and peaceful ways. That adds to the security and well being of the American people and to the people of Hong Kong.

It is certainly up to the people of Hong Kong and their government to determine the best way to address their current set of challenges. No one in the United States (or, for that matter, in Hong Kong as far as I can see) has challenged the mainland's sovereignty over Hong Kong. But the "one country, two systems" formula governing post-1997 Hong Kong is a work in process and it should not surprise anyone that this arrangement would need some adjustment. Not only was such "gradual and orderly" evolution anticipated in the Basic Law, common sense suggests that this unique and untested experiment in the exercise of sovereignty over the Hong Kong SAR would require refinements along the way.

We wish the Hong Kong people and their government well in their dialogue on constitutional reform. The issues to be addressed raise fundamental questions about the rights and duties of the state and its citizens, questions that deserve serious debate and over which honest people can have honest disagreements. We hope for a timely process that will produce a consensus in Hong Kong that is faithful to the aspirations of its people. We believe advances in democracy in Hong Kong would add to Hong Kong's economic competitiveness and at the same time boost international and specifically American investment, trade, and tourism here, which in turn will be a boon to the economy, creating a virtuous cycle.

The can-do, entrepreneurial spirit that has been the basis for Hong Kong's success is a powerful force and a common bond between us. We believe Hong Kong's entrepreneurial spirit will be given more room to contribute to Hong Kong's success as democracy expands. We realize that the current challenges in the region are substantial. Hong Kong is contemplating its economic future in the Pearl River Delta and deliberating structural reforms in its economy that will help it compete in the 21st century. Facing these challenges will require common sense political restructuring that is no less a component of economic survival in today's global competition. Hong Kong's civil society and the rule of law that is its foundation are abstract concepts, but they provide very tangible benefits to Hong Kong. Undermining that foundation would undoubtedly hurt Hong Kong. Hong Kong's separate system and great degree of autonomy are invaluable assets that make the SAR what it is today, and will determine what it is to be tomorrow.