GEORGE BUSH Former president of the United States THE transition in Hong Kong will go smoothly. There isn't any capital flight. I feel pretty relaxed about it for one obvious reason: so much of China's trade goes through Hong Kong it is in Beijing's pragmatic interest to make it all work out.
A lot of the United States' trade imbalance with China comes out of Hong Kong.
Many of my Chinese friends are upset at Governor Chris Patten.
They ask: 'The British have been here for so many years, how come a couple of years before they leave they suddenly want some kind of perfect democracy?' That is a pretty good argument.
Most Hong Kong people at this juncture are pretty optimistic. However, China would make a big mistake by cracking down on freedom of the press. That could trigger animosity around Asia and in the West.