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Why British MPs?

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It seems the Government Information Services (GIS) have forgotten the territory is returning to Chinese rule next year. Certainly Hong Kong people would never guess the transfer of sovereignty is imminent from their choice of VIPs to visit the territory over the next 12 months.

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Once again, the biggest beneficiaries of their all expenses paid junkets are British. It is difficult to see how this can benefit the territory. But it will certainly do Governor Chris Patten no harm to offer generous hospitality to so many Members of Parliament, shortly before he returns to join them. To be fair, GIS has made some efforts to rectify the imbalance. The number of mainlanders invited this year has almost doubled. Yet they are still outnumbered, not just by Britons, but also Germans.

That shows the lop-sidedness of the Government's VIP visitors programme.

Not only are greater efforts needed to attract even more mainlanders. But invitations to overseas visitors should reflect the territory's trading and cultural ties, rather than the political priorities of the outgoing Governor. That means the US, Canada, and Australia should head the list, given their larger communities of former Hong Kong residents, and vital importance to the local economy. Even inviting Japanese and other Asian VIPs is far more likely to benefit the territory's long-term interests than continuing to host Mr Patten's Westminster colleagues.

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