In this paper a complex and fascinating historical event is addressed; a political treaty between a dying imperialist power and a nation which has been responsible for one of the greatest social revolutions in human history. In 1984, Britain and The People's Republic of China (PRC) began negotiations which will determine the future of Hong Kong after 1997. The ensuing dialogue brings together the competing interests of two different cultures and modes of production. It also creates a theatre where the conceptual frameworks of radically different social histories coalesce as opposing ideological positions. These can only be resolved through the mediating principle of language. Within this context, two other agencies struggle for survival in their own terms. At the grass roots level, the identity and freedom of the Hong Kong people is at stake. In the stratosphere of global politics, the oblique yet strategic penetration of multinational corporate policy into the local marketplace demands both opportunity and protection. The problem is therefore presented as a confusion over incompatible realms of discourse, which both parties to the joint agreement are attempting to condense into one agenda. This materialises in the form of ‘the Basic Law’ as a monitoring system through which social and cultural assumptions and practices become codified. Implications for the urban process and the built environment, although seemingly unanticipated, are likely to have profound and enduring consequences.
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