Hong Kong Island Old Events

"Welcome, Harris."

In the hotel, Bai Liji raised a glass to celebrate the newly appointed Standard Chartered executive: "Come to Hong Kong Island and develop East Asia together."

"Thank you."

"Mr. Governor." Harris is much older than the previous chief executive, Richard. He has a mustache, a pocket watch, and a suit. He is dressed like an orthodox gentleman. It can be seen that Standard Chartered's style in Hong Kong Island will be trending. To be conservative.

The temperament of every executive of a foreign bank can be understood as the new policy direction of the head office.

This is true in the political arena.

Qi Yaolin, Sassoon and Madden raised their glasses together and said: "Welcome Mr. Harris."

"Ding."

Bai Liji took back the wine glass and took a sip.

Madden, Sassoon and others knew that the Governor had invited the four major foreign companies for dinner in the name of welcoming newcomers. They must have been pressured by their ancestors to take action. The five people came to the tea restaurant and cut steaks. Bai Liji said: "Hong Kong Island is studying the design plan of Tsuen Wan Port and plans to design a super large new container terminal."

"Integrating warehousing and speeding up transshipment will bring the trade volume that Hong Kong Island can carry to another level, more than tripling."

"Six companies have participated in the bidding for the project."

The four bosses of foreign companies listened to the Chief Executive's pie-in-the-sky pie-in-the-sky approach, but they didn't care. Building the terminal required a large sum of money. The Hong Kong government wanted to please them at this time. Using Chinese capital would divert the terminal's profits, which would not be beneficial to political performance. .

"Mr. Governor."

"The investment environment in Hong Kong Island is becoming increasingly severe. Military friction just occurred in the middle of the year. Standard Chartered Bank plans to focus on banking business and reduce industrial investment in the short term." Harris put a napkin around his neck and cut his steak gracefully.

He is not a reckless person, but he deliberately wants to use his status as a newcomer to give the governor a blow, and represent the four major foreign companies to force the governor again.

Qi Yaolin, Sassoon, and Madden all had certain friendships with the governor, so it was hard for them to break up with each other, so they secretly applauded Harris's approach. Bai Liji cursed secretly in his heart, but smiled on the surface: "Please rest assured, Mr. Harris, the Hong Kong government has absolute initiative in the military, and the friction in the middle of the year is just administrative mishandling."

"The Hong Kong government has officially established the New Territories District, with a complete administrative system, and plans to expand the New Territories Disciplined Forces."

Harris shook his head: "It's not a problem in the New Territories."

"It's a matter of direction."

Bai Liji's expression turned cold and he said seriously: "Please ask Mr. Harris for advice."

The direction issue is a big one.

It is difficult for the Chief Executive to allow someone to raise objections and must put on a cold face, but Harris ignored it and said: "In the past, the Hong Kong government was mostly handled by British personnel from top to bottom, and many British-funded companies were Take care of."

"Now the Hong Kong government is filled with a large number of important Chinese officials. In addition to the three departments that report directly to the Governor's Office, the Chinese influence in all bureaus is growing."

“Use China to control China, who can control China?”

Gui Lao has always supported the use of Chinese to manage Hong Kong Island, provided there is sufficient restraint. Before Zige Hongliang officially retired, the Hong Kong government still had political hegemony. However, since Bai Liji came to power, the hegemony has declined at an alarming rate.

The June 7th Incident made the ghosts face up to the Chinese and began to worry about the rise of the Chinese.

Bai Liji knew that in fact, at the end of Ge Hongliang's reign, the Chinese forces were out of control. He was just a scoundrel, but he could not speak like this to the four major foreign companies. Instead, he said something: "Since we want to use Chinese, And they are afraid that the Chinese will grow stronger.”

"The Colonial Department has long had internal documents stating that the era of black slaves has passed. Since the local people must be used to manage the colonies, the local people must be given certain treatment." The federal parliament has aristocratic lords, but the ministers of various departments have unique visions. As early as in the colonial period He saw the changes in the international situation in the independence movement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and knew that the colonial plan must be changed. But every decision has advantages and disadvantages. While seizing the benefits, you must face the disadvantages and welcome the risks.

"The Chinese have entered the mainstream of society, and the growth of Chinese capital is an inevitable trend. If the four major foreign banks can only rely on political patronage to make profits, I think the federal government will consider changing partners, and the Hong Kong government will consider taking back Standard Chartered's right to issue banknotes."

"Foreign companies must learn to compete fairly with Chinese capital and face the free market together." Bai Liji said: "Absolute freedom can give birth to a great market."

Harris' expression changed again and again. He didn't expect that Bailiji would threaten him with the right to issue banknotes, and he didn't expect that Bailiji could launch an impromptu speech and compete with people who play politics. The businessman was indeed a little bit shy. .

However, Qi Yaolin took over and said: "Sir Bai, I find it funny even when you talk about freedom. What is freedom? There is freedom only under the rules, but who sets the rules of Hong Kong Island now? The British or the Chinese!"

Bai Liji was silent for a while and was forced into a corner. He put down his knife and fork and sighed: "The Hong Kong government is already studying the establishment of an anti-corruption exclusive office to curb the development of Chinese capital and clamp down on important Chinese officials in the government."

"Anti-corruption?"

Harris's eyes lit up and he felt that anti-corruption was a good way to remove any official or close down any company. After all, the scope of corruption is so wide that big companies and political figures will inevitably be involved.

Anti-corruption is a very sensitive topic in our hometown, and most officials dare not mention it. However, in Hong Kong Island, there is much to do and we can eliminate dissidents.

Qi Yaolin sneered again, shook the red wine glass and said: "Sir Bai is telling a joke again. The anti-corruption authority and responsibility in Hong Kong lies with the police force. However, the police force is the largest corruption group in Hong Kong. It controls the force. Appointed last year An anti-corruption commissioner died on the road.”

"Everyone in Hong Kong knows that there is a money empire on Hong Kong Island, and there are three types of people living in it: those with guns, those from the chamber of commerce, and those with the first letter. In other words, the police, criminals, and businessmen have become a group, and countless people are involved. Why are you resisting!"

"Maybe the Commissioner of Police, the Financial Secretary, and the Secretary to the Governor's Office are all his people!"

The secretary to the governor was so frightened that he almost couldn't hold the wine bottle steady.

Qi Yaolin glanced at him: "The boss of the money empire is now called 'Brother One' by the outside world. 'Brother One' sounds like he is one level higher than the Governor."

Bai Liji's face turned livid. Hearing Qi Yaolin's sarcasm, he was not in the mood to eat anymore and wiped his hands: "The death of the anti-corruption commissioner just proves that anti-corruption is a sharp weapon. The police force has the ability to deal with commercial bribery and unjust misconduct." The power to investigate corruption among members of the disciplinary forces.”

"It does not mean that the police force has all the anti-corruption powers. First of all, there is only an "Anti-Corruption Act" as the legal support for the police force. But in fact, the "Anti-Corruption Plan" clearly stipulates very few powers. I plan to establish a special anti-corruption agency. The PCCP is headed by a commissioner appointed by me and reports directly to me. It is independent of all disciplinary forces and is responsible for prosecuting all corruption in Hong Kong! It can not only supervise business, stock market, finance, but also investigate disciplinary forces and all public offices. personnel."

"We also organized the Legislative Council to pass a special bill to give the Office the power to equip the Anti-Corruption Office with guns. We also adopted a separate hiring system, which separated the Anti-Corruption Office from the public service system and was not subject to supervision by any department. All funds were also allocated separately from the annual public funding plan approved by the Governor. Be completely independent of money, power, and guns!”

Harris, Madden, and Sassoon looked very shocked when they heard that the governor had entrusted him with a comprehensive political plan. Even Qi Yaolin was a little surprised. Because the policy of this Office is very mature and can be implemented completely, and it can break out of the police force framework and establish a new force to manage Hong Kong Island without touching the power of the police force. At that time, the police force's investigative powers can completely continue to exist. In some overlapping areas, due to the higher level of the public office, the police anti-corruption office can also be easily suppressed.

"This is really a very exciting plan. Mr. Governor, when will the Anti-Corruption Office be established?" Harris immediately changed his tune: "Standard Chartered will do its best to support it!"

"Yes."

"HSBC Bank also looks forward to the establishment of the Office as soon as possible to improve the business environment on Hong Kong Island."

Bai Liji said: "There is no need to rush."

"In order for the Anti-Corruption Office to be truly effective, the first step is to make citizens aware of the damage that corruption has done to society. At present, the citizens of Hong Kong Island have long been accustomed to corruption and have adapted to the existence of the money empire, but they have ignored many Their own legitimate rights and interests. Do they inherently believe that corruption is nothing wrong? No, it’s just that they have recognized the rules and living within the rules has already become part of the rules."

"You cannot catalyze Chinese interest groups without mobilizing the collective power of the Chinese. The first thing when the Anti-Corruption Office is established is not to investigate and deal with corruption, but to do a good job in publicity, education and community relations."

"I plan to first establish a community relations office, which will be located under each district affairs office, to carry out anti-corruption propaganda and political education to the public." Bai Liji found that the Hong Kong government's previous political propaganda at the grassroots level was largely lacking, and it was accustomed to using comprador class propaganda. Government orders will naturally be kidnapped by the comprador class and abandoned by the lower class citizens. In fact, it is precisely because the Hong Kong government abandoned the lower class citizens that they were able to move into the embrace of the money empire.

What Bai Liji needs to do now is to carry out political work and strengthen education.

"Only when the public forms an anti-corruption trend and demands integrity from the Hong Kong government and police force will the Anti-Corruption Office be truly established."

In fact, the establishment of the Independent Commission Against Corruption took place step by step. The Community Relations Department was established first, followed by the Enforcement Department and the Corruption Prevention Department. This shows that the ICAC's success is not a coincidence, but a supplement to the Hong Kong government's correction of its own development.

If a new department is established and immediately targeted, it will completely ignore the importance of the execution side, which is extremely naive politically. For a government decree to be implemented, it must first have a basis in public opinion. When Qi Yaolin, Madden and Harris saw that the Governor was planning to take action, they did not dare to push too hard and immediately nodded slowly: "The four major foreign banks can raise donations to help the Hong Kong government open a community relations office."

"good."

Bai Liji nodded slightly, with a serious look on his face, but he breathed a sigh of relief in his heart: "We can delay it for a few more years."