ALL the average businessman in the United States knows about Hong Kong is that there is going to be no democracy after 1997.
He has never heard of 'one country, two systems', nor the Basic Law, not sure if we are all going to be communists, and thinks we will not be able to come and go from the territory on business after June 30 next year, says James Tien Pei-chun, the 49-year-old Hong Kong Federation of Industries legislator and new chairman of the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce.
He angrily blames the likes of Democratic Party legislator Martin Lee Chu-ming, who has been on a three-week lecture tour of the US, for pre-occupying foreign business and political leaders' minds with the democracy issue while other factors key to Hong Kong's continued economic success through the transition are swept aside.
When Hong Kong corporate leaders travel abroad and make speeches explaining it will be business as usual after 1997, they are overlooked by the media, said Mr Tien. 'That doesn't make headlines in most newspaper editors' minds,' he said.
Mr Tien, chairman of Manhattan Garments, is adamant that much more work needs to be done over the coming months to tackle the widespread international ignorance and make clear to the world that Hong Kong can continue to be a regional headquarters for multi-national businesses in the years to come.
He said this will be one of his prime objectives during his term as head of Hong Kong's 4,000-member strong business body.
He is critical all round. Mr Tien thinks the Hong Kong, mainland Chinese and British governments have been too preoccupied with political infighting to embark on this important education process.
