Political Quotes

“the forthcoming reversion of Hong Kong to Chinese control is, as a matter of diplomacy, the mere implementation of a diplomatic agreement between the United Kingdom and the government of the People's Republic of China. But it is, of course, far more complicated, and its implications far more profound. The challenges ahead are many. Will Beijing abide by the rule of law and uphold its commitment to the United Kingdom and the people of Hong Kong to ``one country, two systems?'' Will America and the major powers have the political will to challenge China should they renege on their commitments? Nowhere are the challenges of reversion greater than for United States law enforcement--for Hong Kong has long been a center of the international criminal organizations which control the trade in Asian heroin, money laundering is on the rise, and there are a host of other law enforcement problems. Here in the United States, we see the related problems of Asian organized crime, or Tongs, heroin trafficking from Asia through Hong Kong, alien smuggling, arms trafficking, and the use of Hong Kong as a money laundering center for criminals. Unfortunately, the capacity of U.S. law enforcement to respond to this threat is limited by the fact that we simply do not have enough agents with the language skills, intelligence background and contacts to infiltrate Asian organized crime. This is why I am introducing today the Royal Hong Kong Police Anticrime Strategy Act of 1997.”