Is there ever a moment in your life for quiet reflection? It's not the easiest thing to find in Hong Kong, particularly over the past few weeks. But try it, you'll be surprised.
It's difficult enough for me to take stock of my own life, so how do you sum up that of Hong Kong under 156 years of British rule? The obvious comes to mind: the rule of law and our dedicated civil service. Our low and stable tax system is surely no British invention, nor is our free-market economy.
Yet there are British things that we did not adopt or adapt. Today is not the time to reflect on negatives but to thank goodness we did not take to our bosom the habit of tea breaks during work. I suppose we owe part of our good fortune today to the fact that we were working while the British took the breaks.
But we can't give all the credit to the British, although they may see things otherwise. As an open community we have had, and I dare say will continue to have, a multitude of influences. And not just from China or our regional neighbours, but Western as well. The latter range from food, culture and fashion to business, ideologies and religion.
But there is a 'Hong Kong-ness' about the territory. I would like to believe that we have taken or adapted some of the best external influences and blended them with the best of Hong Kong. I am sure we missed one or two tricks here and there but overall we have done ourselves proud.
We have done well for our community. But this is not to say there is no room for improvement. There is, and the responsibility falls not just on the shoulders of Tung Chee-hwa, our chief executive, but on each of us.
Many have said Hong Kong has entered a new era, others speak of a new beginning, a new order or a new something or other. What stands out most in my view is that Hong Kong is now Hong Kong, China. We now have a clear, unequivocal, unambivalent identity.
