Bulletin Spring‧Summer 2001

the Centre but over domestic issues. Many of them concern changes that have been held back because neither the British nor the Chinese wanted to add to people's uncertainty when they were already nervous about the change of sovereignty then due. Would Hong Kong have done better under any other leader? Whoever is the first Chief Executive ， whether chose n by four mi l l i on or 400 electors, w i l l have a difficult time. The gap between the expectations o f Beijing's leaders and Hong Kong's people is simply too wide. He or she has to straddle that gulf. It is not the best of times for many elected leaders in Asia who are facing voter discontent. In Indonesia the euphoria when President Abdurrahman Wahid was elected president has been replaced by conflicts between the legislature and the president. Their legislature, the DPR and MPR , are investigating charges of malfeasance by the president. The Philippines voted in President Estrada with one of the largest majorities in their electoral history. Now he is mired in an impeachment process. Dr. Mahathir won his elections w i t h a two-thirds majority in October 1999, but the contest fo r Malay/Muslim support against the orthodox Mus l im opposition party Parti Islam Se Malaysia, supported by two other opposition parties has continued to sour politics. Thailand's PM Chuan Leekpai faces a tough election. Although he has taken steps to reform the economy ， critics have charged that the government has failed to restore the economy to its pre-crisis days. Taiwan's joy at the change from a K MT to a DPP president has dissipated, and the opposition, disappointed w i th President Chen Shui-bian's decisions, has launched a recall process in the Legislative Yuan. Japan changed prime ministers six months ago when Mr . Obuchi died. PM Mo ri is having the lowest poll ratings support and has narrowly survived a no confidence motion. In Korea K i m Dae-jung won the Nobel Peace Prize. But Korea's chaebol chiefs and their trade unions are unwilling to restructure, downsize, and retrench. So big chaebols are going bankrupt. The people have chosen their leaders but they are still disappointed. Hongkongers were great individualists and daring entrepreneurs, w i l l i ng t o take high risks and earn big rewards for themselves and their families. They did well under the British and there were no criticisms from the West. Now Hong Kong is taken to task by the EU for not having a level playing field. What was permissible and accepted by the EU when Hong Kong was under British rule, has become unacceptable because the EU has set higher standards when a Hongkonger Chief Executive is in charge. The way forward is to forge a consensus on goals that are possible and achievable within the limits of the power structure of the PRC and the SAR. Over the next 46 years and a half, both sides, the Mainland and Hong Kong, w i l l converge. It w i l l be another two generations before you meet them in one country and one system. However, look at the changes China has undergone in the one generation since Chairman Mao died. I f China continues at the same pace, that eventual convergence w i l l not be that difficult. Chinese University Bulletin Spring • Summer 2001 50