U.s. Policy Towards Hong Kong Study

The Hong Kong issue has been settled regarding its sovereignty, but is worth further deliberation as an academic subject. This dissertation, in accordance with historical development, probes into the evolution of American Hong Kong policy since the start of PRC-UK negotiations over the Hong Kong issue. The author view is presented through the six chapters of the text: Chapter 1 is to outline the historical background in which this research unfolds, by briefing on American Hong Kong policy during the period from the founding of the PRC to the early 1980s when the PRC started negotiations with the UK over the Hong Kong issue. Chapter 2 presents Washington low-profile attitude through the negotiation period as well as the raison dtre. Also discussed here are Washington response to the Joint Declaration between China and Britain, and increasing concern within the US society for Hong Kong emocratization?process. Chapter 3 not only presents but also evaluates facts about the Bush Administration policy readjustment beginning with the immigration policy, and the establishment of a legal framework for policies toward Hong Kong marked by the United States-Hong Kong Policy Act of 1992. Chapter 4 studies the Clinton Administration policy toward Hong Kong during the confrontation between China and Britain, caused by Governor Patten Reform Proposals, includingWashington response to the Reform Proposals and the LegCo elections, its concern over rule of law, human rights and freedom of the press in Hong Kong, and its measures to strengthen bilateral relations between the United States and Hong Kong. Chapter 5 deals with the policy Washington adopted when China was preparing to set up the government of HKSAR. Therefore, the U.S. attitude toward the Provisional Legislative Council, its response to China decision to amend or repeal some of Hong Kong laws, its support for the Democratic Party in Hong Kong, its measures for monitoring situation in Hong Kong and maintaining US-HR ties after Hong Kong抯 return to China are all commented here. In Chapter 6, research is focused on American policy toward Hong Kong after its return to China, which embodies not only a general judgment the U.S. made over the situation in Hong Kong, but also detailed measures of continued intervention into Hong Kong affairs in fields like legislative elections and democratization, freedom of express, judicial independence, export control, etc. The conclusion part briefs on the logic between American Hong Kong Policy and its China Policy, as well as the self-contradictory purposes of the former. In doing so, the author predicts that while the U.S. intervention in Hong Kong is inevitable, it will take a pragmatic approach due to constraints in interests in Hong Kong.