This thesis aims at analyzing changes in China's Hong Kong policies in the post-1980 period. Adopting the concept of "co-optation", this study elucidates that China practises her united front work in Hong Kong mainly by absorbing capitalists, industrialists, and former British appointees to serve as advisors and members in various consultative committees (e.g. the Basic Law Drafting Committee, Hong Kong Affairs Advisors, the Preliminary Working Committee, or the Preparatory Committee) to maintain political stability and power consolidation. By employing several indicators, accountability, participation and equality, this thesis aims at assessing (1) the effectiveness of the strategies and objectives by the PRC to co-opt the pro-China Hong Kong elite and (2) how these strategies contribu...[ Read more ]

This thesis aims at analyzing changes in China's Hong Kong policies in the post-1980 period. Adopting the concept of "co-optation", this study elucidates that China practises her united front work in Hong Kong mainly by absorbing capitalists, industrialists, and former British appointees to serve as advisors and members in various consultative committees (e.g. the Basic Law Drafting Committee, Hong Kong Affairs Advisors, the Preliminary Working Committee, or the Preparatory Committee) to maintain political stability and power consolidation. By employing several indicators, accountability, participation and equality, this thesis aims at assessing (1) the effectiveness of the strategies and objectives by the PRC to co-opt the pro-China Hong Kong elite and (2) how these strategies contribute to the legitimating and/or delegitimating impacts on the formulation and implementation of China's Hong Kong policies. This thesis argues that (1) united front work leads to the participation of the pro-China social and economic elite, hence marking the political division between the co-opted social elite and the excluded masses; (2) the unaccountability of the consultative committees formulates the unpopular policies and ultimately leads to public criticisms and distrust; and (3) the fragmentative nature of the pro-China elite makes it difficult for the Chinese government to pursue a political conformity. Occasionally, the PRC officials have to justify the rationale behind the unpopular policies and to respond to public criticisms. The study concludes that the development of united front work in Hong Kong beyond 1997 is mainly based on (1) the oscillating and uncertain political development of China; (2) the degree of tolerance shown by the CCP toward the oppositional forces; and (3) the development of democratization in Hong Kong.