DESPITE a toughening of China's attitude to internal dissent, confidence is growing in Hong Kong about the takeover by Beijing in July next year.
For the first time, more than half the people of the British colony say they are "happy" about the prospect, according to a poll in yesterday's South China Morning Post. The findings contrast with noisy weekend protests by pro democracy activists in Hong Kong, who called on Beijing to release Chinese dissidents and guarantee free speech and political rights after the changeover.
Speculation about the future security of opponents of the Communist Chinese government next year has intensified following recent harsh actions against dissidents in China.
The Chinese Foreign Minister, Mr Qian Qichen, also warned last week that anti Beijing demonstrations and press criticism of the Chinese leadership would not be tolerated after China takes over.
The rumblings from Beijing have not, however, prevented a return to the "feel good" factor of the 1980s in the British territory about the takeover.
"Why do people feel good?" asked the Post, referring to the survey which showed that 56 per cent of those polled were happy with the change of sovereignty, compared with 31.5 per cent in August.
"It is because the stock market is hitting record heights and unemployment is touching the basement." Most of Hong Kong's six million people "are concerned with the economy and their well being more than political and press freedoms".
In an interview with the Asian Wall Street Journal, Mr Qian warned that the Hong Kong media could not publish "rumours and lies" or personal attacks on the Chinese leaders. Asked about annual demonstrations in Hong Kong to commemorate the June 4th, 1989, crackdown on Tiananmen Square, he said: "Hong Kong should not hold those political activities which directly interfere with the affairs of mainland China."
The Hong Kong Governor, Mr Chris Patten, said on government radio that exiled dissidents, believed to number about 80, could leave if they wished. The Chinese Foreign Minister said dissidents could stay "as long as they do not breach the law".
Many observers in Beijing attribute the new hard line in the Chinese leadership to uncertainty over the future as the ailing Chinese leader. Mr Deng Xiaoping, nears the end of his days.
"At such a time even liberals don't want to appear liberal," one Beijing observer said.
The Communist party yesterday published a book of Deng's thoughts on "spiritual civilisation", a euphemism for communist ideology, and the term identified with President Jiang Zemin in his quest to inherit Deng's mantle.
Mr Deng, architect of China's economic reforms, has been associated less with ideology than with the rush to gain material wealth. The combing of his writings by party researchers to produce references to "spiritual civilisation" appears designed to show continuity at the top when "he departs the scene and Mr Jiang "makes his bid for power.
"Chinese people understand what is going on," the observer said. "If you want to be Deng's successor you have to inherit his legitimacy. President Jiang also wants to create a stable atmosphere before the party conference in October next which will decide the future for many years."
The family of the detained Chinese dissident, Mr Wang Dan, is trying to secure international intervention on his behalf. The German Foreign Minister, Mr Klaus Kinkel, said yesterday after arriving in Beijing for a five day visit that family members had asked him to raise Mr Wang's case with Chinese officials.
Mr Wang, a leader of the student demonstrations in 1989, faces trial soon on the capital charge of plotting to overthrow the government, family members said. Chinese authorities this month sentenced the writer, Mr Liu Xiaobo, to three years in a labour camp and another dissident, Mr Wang Xizhe, fled to the United States via Hong Kong to escape arrest.