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Special Edition: Hong Kong Celebrates 20th Anniversary of Handover of Power. 08:00a-09:00a ET

Aired June 30, 2017 - 08:00:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


[08:00:01] KRISTIE LU STOUT, HOST: I'm Kristie Lu Stout at Victoria Harbor. You're watching a special edition of News Stream on the 20th

anniversary of the handover of Hong Kong to China.

Now Hong Kong marks the handover anniversary with its military on parade. The Chinese President reviews the biggest display of troops the city has

ever seen.

We'll look ahead to Hong Kong's growing integration with the rest of the country. Now, why some fear this unique place is destined to become just

another Chinese city.

And 20 years ago, he was the last British governor of Hong Kong. We'll hear whether Chris Patton thinks China and the United Kingdom have stood by

their promises to the people of this city.

20 years ago, Hong Kong was in the final hours of British rule before the handover to China. It was a day of mixed emotions. Some were excited by

closer ties to the rising China, others feared the future under a communist nation. Now those divisions are still present in Hong Kong today.

Now, behind me, is a building where the handover ceremony took place 20 years ago. And right now, the Chinese President Xi Jinping is in that same

building attending an official gala celebration. It is his first trip to Hong Kong as president, a trip greeted with rallies held to welcome him as

well as dissent from pro-democracy protesters.

And over the next hour, we will cover the anniversary of the handover from every angle, looking back on that historic day and the issues dividing Hong

Kong today and at the future of this unique city.

Now, reporters are all over Hong Kong right now. Andrew Stevens is at the gala dinner attended by the Chinese president. Anna Coren is covering

reaction on the streets outside. Ivan Watson is at the harbor front where a pro-independence protest was just canceled.

But we begin with events form earlier today. Now, Ivan witnessed a rare sight as president Xi Jinping inspected the troops stationed in Hong Kong.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

IVAN WATSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: This is the largest demonstration of Chinese military might in Hong Kong's history. The

Chinese leader, Xi Jinping, upon his arrival here, his first ever since he assumed the leadership of China, he described the central government as the

shield that backs Hong Kong. And I think we're getting a demonstration of that right here.

The planners say that they're are more than 3,000 troops involved, that the procession is more than 1.3 kilometers long.

Now, it's very rare for the People's Liberation Army to make public displays in Hong Kong. It normally maintains a very low profile. And this

is a city that is unlike any other Chinese city in that it enjoys a great deal of autonomy and democratic freedoms that are not allowed in the rest

of Mainland China. This is part of the arrangement of one country, two systems. Opposition members in this city who are allowed to demonstrate

and voice dissent that is not allowed in the rest of China. They're worried about the erosion of democratic freedoms in Hong Kong.

Demonstrations like this, they show at the end of the day, despite Hong Kong's autonomy, it is Beijing and the central government that is still

very much in charge here.

Ivan Watson, CNN, Hong Kong.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: And following that inspection, President Xi Jinping headed over to an official dinner and grand gala celebration. Andrew Stevens is there.

He joins us now.

And Andrew, Xi Jinping is overseeing this official celebration. How is the handover being officially celebrated right now?

ANDREW STEVENS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, officially, we're just at the start of a 90 minute gala performance by Hong Kong's great and

good artistic community, great singers and actors, very well known local identities, well known across the region as well. And you're just hearing

the music starting to swell. The Chinese president, Kristie, arrived only about two or three minutes ago to applause from the 2,000 or so people

standing here.

As you say, he had been at a banquet earlier for about 300 political, social and business leaders of Hong Kong. And he did talk to them. And

he made some comments -- he began by praising the contribution that Hong Kongers have made to the growth of China.

And he talked about the support that Hong Kong needs to get fully behind the new chief executive Carrie Lam who will be sworn in tomorrow. He's

calling on the business community, the social community across the spectrum to get behind the new leader.

But he also had a fairly pointed comment about the one country, two systems as well as he was very clear that this is recognized as a success right

across the world. And he focused particularly on the one country, telling the banquet quests that they should be always behind that one country, and

that the motherland, China, was the backbone of Hong Kong and for a successful one country, two systems means a successful Hong Kong of

tomorrow.

So, he's very clear on that (inaudible) if you like it was a message of hope and to tell the people of Hong Kong to get behind China, hardly

surprising given there are these deepening division that we hear about, we read about and we see from Hong Kong daily about what's happening

politically here.

[08:05:43] LU STOUT: And Andrew, I understand that there at the dinner, a letter was presented to Xi Jinping by the chair of the Hong Kong Democratic

Party asking for a restart in the political reform process. What is the official line on that?

STEVENS: Well, no official line from China. That letter you refer to was presented actually to an aide of Xi Jinping by the head of the Democratic

Party, their affiliates of you like, a control, a minority in the legislative council here. But they wanted to make their point about what

they say, and they have constantly been saying about the erosion of the one country, two systems, that China is interfering.

And as you say, the Democratic Party passed in that (inaudible) a restart to the reform project. It says that the one country, two systems has been

distorted over recent years. And there have been several instances, not least of which the one in 2014, which tens of thousands of people in Hong

Kong, mainly young people, onto the streets when Beijing made it very clear that their version of universal suffrage (inaudible) very different than

what many Hong Kongers would like to see.

So, there are those divisions. And they are (inaudible).

I should point out, the Democratic Party has always been active and vocal in Hong Kong over the past 20 years as the political (inaudible) Hong Kong

politics has developed. And they are pledging to obviously continue that vocal support.

But at this stage, Kristie, no word from the Chinese side.

LU STOUT: Andrew Stevens reporting live for us. Thank you, Andrew.

Now, another issue on the minds of people in Hong Kong is Liu Xiaobo. Now, he pushed for democratic reforms in China. He won the Nobel Peace prize in

2010. He's been serving an 11 year prison sentence for his activities. And now he's on medical parole because he is battle late stage cancer.

The United States says that the dissident should be allowed to travel abroad for treatment, but China won't allow it.

Anna Coren joins me live here in Hong Kong. And Anna, in the only Chinese city where there is freedom of assembly and freedom to protest, how are

demonstrators here rallying around Liu Xiaobo?

ANNA COREN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kristie, let me set the scene for you. There are probably several hundred protesters that have

gathered here in Wanchai. They are dozens of police. Security is very tight. In fact, they're actually stopping protesters from joining the main

event taking place behind us.

Earlier, there was a yellow umbrella. There were placards with Liu Xiaobo's face on it. And as you say, he has become one of the demands of

these pro-democracy activists. They are now calling for his release. The 61-year-old dissident, Nobel Prize peace winner who was arrested in 2009

after co-authoring that manifesto calling on Beijing to bring about political reform and human rights. He was sentenced to 11 years in prison,

and as you say he is just being diagnosed with liver cancer. It is advanced.

And now, people are calling for him to be sent overseas, but for treatment. China has come out and said they will not allow it.

So, these protesters here, Kristie, they're not just calling for democracy, for the freedom of the press, for the freedom of the media, for human

rights. They are now also calling for the release of Liu Xiaobo.

LU STOUT: But Anna, earlier today, you caught up with pro-democracy protester Joshua Wong who, with a group of people, was just released after

being arrested two days ago. What did he tell you?

COREN: Yes, that's right. 20-year-old Joshua Wong was released on bail early this morning after spending 33 hours in custody. He, of course, was

arrested for scaling a statue here in Hong Kong, which was a gift from Beijing at the time of the handover. He placed a black cloth over it.

Well, he has been charged with being a public nuisance. And as far as he was concerned, his human rights were abused. He was not allowed to access

medicine when he asked for it.

But certainly he said that Hong Kong has now turned into a police state since Xi Jinping has been here.

Obviously, we know that security is very tight. They do not want any civil disorder whatsoever, which is why the protests are really being managed,

and protesters are being kept separated.

He's also said that tomorrow is the main event. We've asked him why we haven't seen those huge crowds that we saw at the Occupy movement back in

2014, which of course he was one of the faces of. And he said that they are saving themselves for tomorrow. They don't want to risk any arrests

tonight. They just want to protest in an orderly fashion. Tomorrow, they are calling on tens of thousands of people to take to the streets to

protest what they see as an erosion of China's -- of Hong Kong's freedom and its autonomy -- Kristie.

[08:10:51] LU STOUT: Got it. So, they're saying the main event is happening tomorrow, July 1st. Anna Coren reporting live for us. Thank

you.

Now, while many look back to 1997, it's also a day to look ahead to the future of Hong Kong. Now, many are excited by tighter integration with the

rest of the so-called pro-river delta, an enormous cluster of cities full of factories that produce everything from chairs to iPhones, but as Anna

Coren reports, some wonder whether Hong Kong is destined to become just another Chinese city.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

COREN: Breathtaking country parks and beaches, a vibrant city life and a dynamic financial hub forming a bridge between east and west. These all

make up the territory of Hong Kong, a tiny archipelago on the southern tip of the Chinese mainland.

As Hong Kong marks its 20 years since Britain handed its former colony back to China the city also looks ahead to 2047 when Beijing regains full

control. Already plans underway to begin merging Hong Kong into the mainland with a master plan to create a pearl river delta mega city,

including surrounding cities, Macao, Zhuhai, and Guangdong.

The key part of the plan is right below us. Stretching for approximately 40 kilometers, this will be the longest bridge in the world. It's one of the

most ambitious engineering fiats in history costs billions of dollars, and this along with other major infrastructure prospects is designed to third

integrate Hong Kong into mainland China. Some experts say these projects are vital to shore up Hong Kong's financial future.

MARCOS CHAN, HEAD OF RESEARCH, CBRE HONG KONG: Hong Kong do have a bottleneck in terms of land supply. And I do believe, you know, the

government is trying very hard to rebalance the market between supply and demand. With the bridge in place while it's going to help the tourism and

the retail market because it will help to attract more tourist coming into Hong Kong.

COREN: While some Hong Kong citizens support the strategy, others are concerned that closer economic ties will ultimately mean falling into line

with China's politics. And freedom of speech, education and the environment which could erode Hong Kong's unique identity and culture.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Throughout the years we have people coming from China coming to Hong Kong and then different cultures actually -- it's actually

changing our culture as well.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hong Kong will become less important than it was before. And the only thing probably that stopping China from doing that

faster is probably other than law is language as well. So maybe like 10, 20 years later like Hong Kong won't be here.

COREN: When the handover of Hong Kong took place in 1997, the one country, two systems deal for the next 50 years was created with the hope that China

would become more democratic but with that unlikely to happen the next few years could mean a vital turning point for Hong Kong with many asking if

the former British colony is destined to become just another big Chinese city.

Anna Coren, CNN, Hong Kong.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: An election last year propelled several young people to the Hong Kong legislative council. Nathan Law, age 23, is the city's youngest ever

lawmaker. He represents a generation who fears an uncertain future under Chinese rule.

Now, he and 25 other activists were detained at a protest on Wednesday. They have now been released on bail. And in this clip from CNN's On China,

Nathan Law tells me what drives his concerns.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NATHAN LAW, HONG KONG LEGISLATOR: In Hong Kong, we've been experiencing lots of freedom, lots of political rights, and lots of (inaudible) showing

the Hong Kong have been losing its freedoms in (inaudible). So, these really worried Hong Kong people about the implementation of one country,

two systems.

LU STOUT: And how would you feel if Hong Kong began to look and feel more like Shenzen (ph) China?

LAW: Well, that's terrifying. In Hong Kong we're not only just a Chinese city and it's being promised in one country, two systems, in that we can

preserve our way of life, and we could preserve a certain degree of human rights and freedom that enjoyed in our colonial time.

In fact, in terms of our human rights and in terms of our constitution, it is being deteriorated in the recent years by a lot of intervention by

Mainland China.

[08:15:21] LU STOUT: You could raise your voice overseas and make that international push, but you also have to heal the divide at home, right?

You know, there's a number of people who are pro-Beijing, pro- establishment, who say you should not confront Beijing.

LAW: Well, definitely Hong Kong.

LU STOUT: Can you win them over?

LAW: Well, Hong Kong is very divided city. And it is originated by the very hostile attitude by CY Leung, the current government, to our

democratic camp.

So that if we want to mend the rift, mend these divide, we have to solve the very fundamental problem which is our democracy, we cannot solve our

problem by (inaudible) our democratic system. And if Beijing is very stubborn on this issue, then I can see no possibility to (inaudible)

agreement, if Beijing still very cautious about our pro-democracy legislators and (inaudible).

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LU STOUT: And that was part of my conversation with Hong Kong's youngest ever lawmaker, Nathan Law. You could watch more of that on CNN's On China

as the people of Hong Kong across the demographic spectrum tell me about their hopes and their fears about the future of the city. It airs again

Sunday 8:30 a.m. in Hong Kong, 9:30 a.m. in Tokyo only on CNN.

Now, moments ago a planned pro-independence rally was called off in Hong Kong, police told protesters that they would be arrested the way these

protesters were on Wednesday.

Now, Ivan Watson will give us the latest from the scene next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LU STOUT: You're watching a special edition of News Stream live from Victoria Harbor as he focused on our home base, Hong Kong, on the 20th

anniversary of the handoer to China. Welcome back.

Now, all week long, pro-democracy activists have planned protests, but so far we've seen few major demonstrations.

Now, let's go right to Ivan Watson. He joins us live.

Now, Ivan, there was supposed to be a protest at your reporting point. What happened, what's the scene around you now?

WATSON: It's a pretty normal Friday night, a standard Friday night here. Take a look, we're on the harbor front here. And you've got pretty much

tourists and visitors. They're taking photos here and taking in a view of the waterfront. Of course, very, very picturesque.

I'd say the only real different here, Kristie, is the installation of the security barriers here. There's a private security company. And they say

that this has been erected to help clean the area up ahead of tomorrow night's celebratory fireworks display.

Of course, now, one of the most radical political groups in Hong Kong, the Nationalist Party, had planned to hold a protest here, but they say that

they were stopped by police and they basically called it off.

Now, this party, the nationalist party, are calling for independence in Hong Kong. Their leader was banned from running for the legislative

council in the most recent elections. And the police denied them, according to their leader, permission to hold a protest here because their

mandate, their agenda, calling for independence from the rest of China, they say contradicts the basic law of this country.

The enormous police presence that we've seen across Hong Kong all seems to suggest that the authorities didn't want any repeat of the kind of Occupy

movement of 2013 certainly when the Chinese leader Xi Jinping was here. And we have not seen those kind of scenes taking place. But we have to

remind people that those huge outpourings of demonstrators on the streets of Hong Kong were largely galvanized because the police used tear gas, and

there was a big angry reaction from the population against that.

We have not seen those kinds of measures being used during this 20th anniversary celebration -- Kristie.

LU STOUT: Got it. Police in Hong Kong, they don't want a repeat of what happened during the Umbrella Movement protest in 2014, let alone those mass

protests on July first in 2003. What should we expect tomorrow, again, July 1st. This is a day that historically has been marked with significant

protests here?

WATSON: That's right. I mean, every year basically since the handover from British rule to Chinese rule, there has been an annual march through

the sweltering streets of the city on July 1st where people of all different types of persuasions come out and march and show their opinions

out in the streets. It's something that makes Hong Kong very different from any other city in China.

What was different, perhaps, about the group that wanted to gather here and was denied permission is again that they are described as localists.

They're more radical. And they are pretty much a new phenomenon that arguably gained support since the Umbrella movement protests of 2014.

You look at a poll from 2016, 40 percent of Hong Kong respondents between the ages of 15 and 24 were calling for independence, that is a new

phenomenon, and a worrying one, one that Beijing simply will not tolerate.

Of course, this is still a minority of people in Hong Kong. According to that poll, only 17 percent of all respondents would be in favor of

independence, but it again goes to the point of the demographics here, that you have a young generation in Hong Kong that feels alienated and

frustrated with central government rule over this city and doesn't feel necessarily connected to Mainland China the way many other Hong Kongers of

older generations feel -- Kristie.

LU STOUT: Got it. It is a small group, a minority group, but increasingly vocal one.

Ivan Watson reporting live for us. Thank you so much.

Now, our Andrew Stevens, he covered the handover life. And he's seen the city transform over the last two decades. He returned to where he was on

the night of June 30, 1997 to give us his memories of that historic event.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

STEVENS: 20 years ago, I stood at the Lok Ma Chau border crossing just behind me separating China from Hong Kong, reporting on the first of the

People's Liberation Army troops rolling in to the territory.

On this side of the border, the police are ready. They have convoy. They have about 60 motorcycle police ready...

It was an extraordinary moment not just for me, but for millions of Hong Kongers as they watch the end of 156 years of British rule, so graphically

underlined by the PLA troops coming in.

Remember, this was just eight years after the Tiananmen Square crackdown. And the PLA came in very, very carefully. There was no combat fatigues.

There was no overt signs of weapons. They came in wearing ties and wearing white gloves.

But still, Hong Kong was on a knife's edge. Nobody knew what would happen over the next 20, 50 years.

People parted here like it was the end.

Borrowed place, borrowed time, that's what Hong Kong used to be known for. Well, that borrowed time had finally come to an end. It was a cauldron of

optimism, of excitement, of fear, and as I say, uncertainty.

Fast forward 20 years, Shenzhen behind, that was just a fishing village 20 years ago. And it's a perfect sign of what's happened in China's

industrial boom. Hong Kong has changed as well, but not nearly to the same extent. And this territory is still protected by the basic law under the

one country, two systems, although many people are now saying that is being eroded.

But remember, this is an experiment, this is a 50 year experiment. And we're less than halfway through. The uncertainty about what happens in

2047 when Hong Kong goes back is still very, very deep across society here today. And it's driving ever deeper divides between Hong Kongers as to

which way is the best way forward.

Andrew Stevens, CNN, Hong Kong.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[08:25:48] LU STOUT: Now, few people know Hong Kong like our next guest: veteran journalist and China watcher Mike Chinoy who for decades has had a

front row seat to the incredible changes in this city.

Mike, so good to see you. Welcome back to CNN.

You were there. You covered the handover in 1997. Could you take us back to July 1st, 1997 and your personal memories of that event?

MIKE CHINOY, UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA: Well, my most vivid memory is how wet we got, because it poured the whole night and we were outside

for a lot of it and we got soaked. But I think that the thing that was overwhelming then was this uncertainty, because don't forget it was only

eight years after the Chinese army had crushed pro-democracy demonstrators in Tiananmen Square, and that had set off a whole train of events,

including the British government's attempt to introduce more democracy here to kind of inoculate Hong Kong against that kind of repression. People

just didn't know what was going to happen when the handover took place, whether the Chinese army would come in and arrest dissident.

And in fact what was most striking was how little seemed to change. The next morning, Hong Kong's leading dissident came to the CNN bureau and we

did an interview with him, and so he wasn't locked up. And it seemed like very little was going to change and that was the trend for awhile.

And then it all did begin to change.

LU STOUT: Yeah, changes to one country, two systems. We spoke to Anson Chan, the number two in Hong Kong both before and after the handover. She

said one country, two systems, the governing principle here, exists only in name and that 2047 is already here. Has it gotten that bad?

CHINOY: I don't think it's gotten that bad yet, but -- and I think in fairness, the Chinese really kept their hands off Hong Kong in a big way in

the first few years.

But then a combination of ineffective, and sometimes incompetent governance in Hong Kong, a shift in the political climate in China to President Xi

Jinping who is running a much tighter ship and the fact that the political system here couldn't address local grievances over housing, employment,

income inequality, meant that you have a lot of discontent, which the Chinese government sees as a threat to its sovereignty and to control.

So, now the screws are tightening. And I think the message from Xi Jinping's visit and from his visit to see the Chinese army is that China is

in charge and anybody who really gets out of line is going to face real pressure.

LU STOUT: Yeah, the boss is in town, China is in charge. Mike Chinoy, veteran China watcher, thank you so much for joining us. Take care.

Now, still ahead on this special edition of News Stream, the long road to democracy. CNN speaks to the final British governor of Hong Kong who says

China is pressurizing the city in a multitude of ways.

Keep it here.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:30:41] LU STOUT: Welcome back. You're watching a special edition of News Stream live from Victoria Harbor.

Now, Hong Kong is a city like few others. It's where east truly meets west, and the past exists side by side with the future.

Now, 20 years ago those remarkable contradictions were on dazzling display on a night like no other. Here is a look back at history as it was made

right here at Victoria Harbor.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Attention.

(MUSIC)

CHRIS PATEN, 28TH GOVENOR OF HONG KONG: I am the 28th governor, the last governor. What we celebrate this evening is the restless energy, the hard

work, the audacity of the men and women who have written Hong Kong's success story.

As British administration ends, we are, I believe, entitled to say that our own nation's contribution here was to provide the scaffolding that enabled

the people of Hong Kong to ascend. It has been the greatest honor and privilege of my life to share your home for five years and to have some

responsibility for your future.

Now, Hong Kong people are to run Hong Kong, that is the promise and that is the unshakable destiny.

Britain is part of Hong Kong's history. And Hong Kong is part of Britain's history. We are also part of each other's future.

Britain learned long ago that Hong Kong people know best what is good for Hong Kong. We have no doubt that Hong Kong people can run Hong Kong.

The eyes of the world are on Hong Kong today.

(MUSIC)

JIANG ZEMIN, FORMER PRESIDENT OF CHINA (through translator): The national flag of the People's Republic of China and the original flag of the Hong

Kong special administrative region of the People's Republic of China has now solemnly risen over this land.

(MUSIC)

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[08:35:01] LU STOUT: Incredible footage there.

You saw there the man who led the handover of Hong Kong itself, Britain's last governor Chris Patten. Two decades on he says China is pressuring

this city in many different ways. He spoke with our chief international correspondent Christiane Amanpour.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Lord Patten, welcome to the program.

PATTEN: Nice to be here.

AMANPOUR: Xi Jinping, the president of China, is there. And I wonder what he would make of the most recent polls, which suggest that Hong Kongers, by

a vast majority, still consider themselves Hong Kongers and not as much Chinese, even after 20 years since the handover.

PATTEN: Well, it would be very interesting in the bravery of whoever shows him the polls, because what he's going to see is the Hong Kong he's been

led to believe. For example, you see in all the photographs when he comes off the plane, a group with obviously properly choreographed waving sort of

North Korean syle red flags, or red dishwashers or something.

And the idea, the idea that people in Hong Kong do that sort of thing naturally is for the birds.

AMANPOUR: The kinds of things you were trying to guarantee for Hong Kong - - freedom of speech, the -- however much democracy they could have, the whole one country, two systems -- has that promise been kept to them in the

past 20 years?

PATTEN: Well, I think it was mostly in the first few years. But I think in the last few years, particularly since President Xi Jinping took over

parallel to the crackdown on dissidents in China has been increased pressure on Hong Kong's wind pipe.

And you've seen it in all sorts of ways. You've seen it in attacks on the judiciary and the rule of law. You've seen it in the interference in Hong

Kong court cases. You've seen it in a general atmosphere of hostility to the independence of universities and the media. You've seen it in the

activities of the Hong Kong Beijing office, which has been interfering in things. And you've seen it, above all, in the abduction of people from the

streets, publishers who produce books which the Chinese leadership didn't like, a billionaire who probably knew too much about where the money was

and corruption than they like.

AMANPOUR: So, what does this mean, then, as you look at this place, which was Britain's last colony, last governorship, and you were there overseeing

the handover. What does this mean for a new generation of Hong Kong. You have a new, you know, elected leader about to take over. You've got, as

you've described, Xi Jinping and his sort of policies and strategy.

What does it mean for the people there?

PATTEN: Well, I think what is the reason for greatest optimism is the point that coming back to your very first question, nobody will want to

talk to Xi Jinping about, and that is that young people, like their parents' generation, actually have in their DNA a strong sense of what it

means to be a Hong Kong citizen. They're not unChinese, they're not lacking Chinese patriotism, but they have a sense of the relationship

between the rule of law, pluralism, prosperity and a decent life.

And the fact that those kids are standing up for those things, the fact that those young people feel that as strongly as they do, the fact that

they question their relationship with Beijing is, I think -- first of all it should be a cause of concern to Beijing that they've handled things so

badly. But secondly, it should be a cause for the rest of us for optimism, that they have a belief in the freedoms that you and I take for granted is

deep in the bone of all these people with yellow umbrellas.

AMANPOUR: So, you have criticized quite forcefully the current British government. And you've used that phrase cowtowing to the Chinese. What

are they doing wrong?

PATTEN: The joint declaration, which is supposed to govern Hong Kong for 50 years, from 1997, isn't just China's declaration, it's a treaty, it's

lodged at the UN with all the panoply that goes with that. And under it, Britain have certain obligations to the people of Hong Kong before 1997,

and we had to explain to the Chinese what we were doing. After 1997, China has obligations to the people of Hong Kong. And they -- we have a perfect

entitlement to actually say when we think things are going wrong.

AMANPOUR: Lord Patten, thank you very much, indeed.

PATTEN: Thank you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: As Hong Kong inches closer to the year 2047, a filmmaker is collecting stories of the city's people before the one country, two systems

policy is set to expire. His story just ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:40:55] LU STOUT: A lot of action tonight at Victoria Harbor. Welcome back. You're watching News Stream live in front of Victoria Harbor in Hong

Kong as we cover the 20th anniversay of the handover.

All week, we've been hearing from different voices in the city to find out what it means to be a Hong Konger. Now today a filmmaker tells us how he

views this city and its people.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NG KA-LEUNG, FILM DIRECTOR (through translator): If I could use one word to describe the collective identity of the Hong Kong people it would be

unique.

My name is Ng Ka-Leung. I'm a film director in Hong Kong.

I think Hong Kong has a unique identity, because for such a tiny city, it manages to preserve its history while developing into a modern society.

Hong Kong people think more logically. They like to independently investigate and not rely on the government's word. I think this

independent mindset is the biggest difference between Hong Kong and Mainland Chinese people.

Right now, I'm working on a lot of local stories that I hope to collect together and make into a movie. At the same time, I'm working on quite a

few documentaries, centered on Hong Kong, its people, and their stories.

I'm guessing if I lived in Mainland China, I wouldn't be able to work on these kind of projects. I think that if I were to work on documentaries

about political figures, they would be very controversial.

I still have the freedom to do this in Hong Kong, but in Mainland China I would be under a very strict watch.

I want people from all over the world to understand that Hong Kong is under a one country, two system rule of law. Hong Kong system goes against much

of what China stands for. The city is a unique place.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: And that's all for this special edition of News Stream. But I'll be back at the same time tomorrow, our coverage of the 20th

anniversary of the handover of Hong Kong to China continues. We're going to be live as Hong Kong holds a fireworks display to celebrate the

anniversary. So, join me for that tomorrow.

But coming up next, today on CNN, World Sport with Christina Macfarlane.

END