Issue 2 (1997)

In this issue

Hong Kong is one of the world's freest places not just in its market economy, but also in the spirit of its public discourse and expressions of its popular culture. Much of the Western media are predicting the demise of this freedom when China takes over the British colony on July 1. While Western journalists anticipate eagerly the final changing of the guards, their counterparts in Hong Kong juggle shakily with the pragmatics of how they can work within the "one country two systems" interpretation of media freedom and responsibility.

At this time of writing, Chinese soldiers have firmly staked their positions in Hong Kong to pave the way for the final handover. An outsider looking in can easily fall into assuming a worst case scenario of Chinese high-handed governance. But, on the inside, optimism still rides high in the financial markets, foreign media agencies are still firmly placed in Hong Kong.

-Editors