When talking about China, our minds usually turn to her unsatisfactory human rights record and poor social security. When talking about the handover, people first think of the unreasonable replacement of Public Order and Societies Ordinances, the debatable legitimacy of the Preparatory Committee, and whether Chief Executive-designate Tung Chee-hwa will protect the rights of local citizens as conflicts arise between the public and the Chinese government. I do not intend to speak about how true and relevant these worries are. Yet, are these feelings a complete description of the transition, or even China itself?

With their well-known high adaptability, Hong Kong people still seem to care more about whether they can survive under the future political, or — more importantly — economic conditions after the handover. While the citizens of China show joy and happiness over the transition, Hong Kong people are filled with nothing but fear and uncertainty. It seems that they are only interested in how they can benefit from the transition.

Everything concerning the handover seems to worth a price. Years ago, not many people were interested in learning Mandarin. Yet, with the large potential market in China and the approach of 1 July 1997, people from all walks of life are taking time and paying large sums of money to learn the language. The selling of a new set of stamps attracted queues of customers. Many of them do not buy the stamps for collection, but merely as an investment -- again, as means to make money.

Hong Kong is like a child of China. 1997 is a time for this child, brought up by others, to come back to its parents. Of course, uncertainty is there. However, instead of just thinking how to benefit materially from the transition, can we think more deeply about the political aspects of the transition, can we develop a correct attitude towards it and consider how we can contribute to society?

Lacking education about the public affairs of Hong Kong and China, Hong Kong people are not quite interested in the political situation. They simply put forward what is shown on television news or interpreted by newspaper pundits as their own attitudes. Primary children can reply that they have no special feeling about the handover, and even university students can know nothing at all, or have never assess the Basic Law.

Of course, education is not the only way to increase social and political awareness. But it is indispensable. The comprehensive media coverage is also necessary to increase Hong Kong people’s awareness of various social and political issues. There are only four months before the handover. It’s time for us to think critically about the whole picture, not just how to benefit from it.