Hong Kong City Administration - 1970

Chair: Michael Worchester


HongKongCityAdministration1970
DearDelegates,

Itsourpleasuretowelcomeyoutothe36thVirginiaModelUnitedNations
Conference.WeareveryexcitedtohaveyouintheHongKongCityAdministration.
Workhard,trytolearnateveryopportunity,andremembertohavefun.

MynameisMichaelWorcesterandIamathirdyearstudentattheUniversityof
VirginiawhoismajoringinPhysics.IhavebeeninvolvedintheInternationalRelations
Organization(IRO)sincemyfirstyearandamlookingforwardtochairingthis
committee.BeforecomingtochairtheHongKongCityAdministrationcommittee,I
workedasanAssistantCrisisDirectorintheVirginiaInternationalCrisisSimulator
XXI.InmysparetimeIcanbefoundplayingbasketball,listeningtomusic,ortryingto
figureoutwhatitallmeans.

Inthe20thcentury,HongKongwasauniquecityonthethresholdbetween
worlds.ItsBritishleaderssoughttocreatefromitathrivingmodernmetropolisnot
dissimilartoManhattanorLondon.However,HongKongwasrifewithorganized
crime,corruption,poverty,civilunrest,anddiscontent.Progressitselfisalocomotive
andthedelegatesofthiscommitteearetheengineers.Ihopethatbymeansofthis
committeewecanallexploretheseproblemsindetailandseehowinterlinkedallthese
topicscanbe,toshowthatthesekindsoflinksnotonlyhappenedinthepast,butare
stillanelementofcitymanagementinthepresentday.LookingatthecityofHongKong
atsuchapivotalpoint,whenithadaratheruniquerelationshipwithboththeChinese
mainlandandthecolonialempireofBritain,willhopefullyallowustofindacityatthe
crossroadsofhistory.Ihenceencourageyoutocompilearangeofinformation,using
theenclosedquestionsasaguide,inshapingyourunderstandingofyourcountrys
positionandavenuesofdebatewithincommittee.Additionally,theDossierwillserveas
ausefulreferencetounderstandtheparticipantsinthecommittee.

Intheend,whilehistorytookadifferentpath,thisspecialgatheringwillallowus
tolookatthingsfromaninsidersperspectiveintohowtoshapethiscity.Thisgathering
willserveasaforumforustolookintothepoliciesandtheconcernsthatwerefacedby
variousactorsinthattimeperiod.Intheend,thefutureofHongKongandthepolicy
approachesittakesonthingsfromAsiangangs,tointernalcorruption,toitsroleina
disputebetweennationswillcomedowntoyou,asthedelegatesanddecisionmakersof
thisland.

Whatkindofleaderswillyoube?

Regards,

MichaelWorcester
Chair


HongKongCityAdministration1970
MapofHongKong

CommitteeOverview
Ascityadministrators,itisyourtasktobringHongKongintothemodernage
andensurethatthetransitiongoesassmoothlyaspossible.Sincethisisaspecialized
committee,therewillbenoCrisisRoomandthereforecooperationwillbetheonly
optiontoimplementchange.Fortunately,therewillbeupdatesthatwillserveas
consequencestotheactions(orpossiblyinactions)ofthecommittee.Aspolitical
leaders,delegatesshouldalwaysconsidertheeffectsthattheirdecisionshaveon
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HongKongCityAdministration1970
commoncitizens.Delegatesshouldbemindfulthatthecultureandsocialparadigmsof
thecitycandiffervastlyfromWesternnorms.Thecommitteewillstarton1January
1970.

Triads
AhistoryoforganizedcrimeinChinaisahistoryoftheTriads.Inmodernusage,
aTriadisageneraltermforaChinesecriminalorganization.Suchanorganization
typicallyspecializesindrugtrafficking,extortion,prostitution,andorhuman
trafficking.Whiletheyexisttodayasshadowymafialikegroups,theroleofTriadshas
evolvedcontinuouslyoverahistoryspanningmillennia.
In9A.D.,asecretbrotherhoodknownastheRedEyebrowswasformedto
overthrowthetyrantWangMang,ausurpertotheWesternHandynasty.Afteryearsof
internalstrife,theRedEyebrowssucceededandrestoredtheHandynastyastheruling
factionofChina.Victoriousyetstilldissatisfied,theRedEyebrowscontinuedtoliveas
outlaws,spurningtherestoredemperortocondemnthem.Thisledtotheirultimate
1

collapse.
Asdynastyafterdynastyfell,therewasalwaysanotherbrotherhoodborntodefy
thenewguard.Itwasinthiscultureofdefiancethatthesegroupsofoutlawswould
evolveintotheTriadsthatwevecometoknow.ThetermTriaditselforiginatesfroma
14thcenturyrebelgroupknownastheWhiteLotusSociety,whoheldafirmbeliefinthe
2

tripartiteunitybetweenheaven,earth,andman.
Booth,Martin.TheDragonSyndicates:TheGlobalPhenomenonoftheTriads.NewYork:Carroll&
Graf,2000.
2
YamTatwing,Peter."Triads."
1


HongKongCityAdministration1970
TheTriadsofHongKong
Surprisingly,theTriadorganizationsofHongKongwerentalwaysassinisteras
weknowthemtobetoday.Inthe1920sand1930s,thesegroupsmoreclosely
resembledclubswithmembershipfeesandbenefitsthantheydidundergroundcrime
syndicates.Itwasntuncommonformemberstotakecareoftheirsick,educateeach
otherschildren,andprovidesupportforoneanotherthroughdifficulttimes.Asa
matteroffact,disregardingBritishprohibition,Triadsocietiesonthesurfaceseemedto
beanoverallassettosociety.
InordertogainlegitimacyunderthehandofBritishrule,mostTriadsrebranded
themselvesastradeunions,socialclubs,sportsorganizations,andcharities.
Remarkably,theseeffortswerentsuperficial,asmostTriadsactuallyinstitutionalized
themselvesbysettinguplegitimatebusinessesandlegallyregisteringthemselveswith
theBritishgovernment.OnesuchorganizationwastheFukYeeHing,whichwasreborn
astheKiuKogHoiLokFungWorkersandMerchantsBenevolentAssociation.Funnily
enough,theselegitimationshadtheoppositeeffectonsomehonestbusinessesand
3

unionswhoresortedtobecomingTriadstoavoidbeingrunoutofbusiness.
Althoughthesegroupsbegantostepoutoftheshadowsandintothepubliceye,
theywerestilllargelycriminalorganizationsdedicatedtotheopiumtrade,sex
trafficking,andextortingtheircitizens.ItwasduringtheJapaneseoccupationofthe
cityintheSecondWorldWarthatthisbecamemoreapparent.

Booth,Martin.TheDragonSyndicates:TheGlobalPhenomenonoftheTriads.NewYork:Carroll&
Graf,2000.
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HongKongCityAdministration1970
WhentherisingsundescendeduponHongKong,theTriadsrespondedwith
varyingfervor.SomegroupsusedtheimpendingJapanesevictoryasameansof
consolidatingpowerandcooperatedwiththeinvadersbyprovidingintelligenceand
openlyattackingBritishgarrisontroops.Otherswereunabletosetasidetheirintense
hatredfortheJapaneseandaidedChinesenationalistsinescapingthecity.Theneutral
Triadswerecontenttocrawlbackintothewoodworkandsavetheirenergyforanother
day.HongKongwouldfallintoJapanesehandsinDecemberof1941.
Inthedyingmomentsofthewar,foodbecameascarcityinthecity.Seeingan
opportunitytomakeapenny,Triadshoardedallavailablefoodsuppliesforthemselves
andthenjackeduptheprices.Thepoorcitizenswhocouldntaffordthenewprices
placedonfoodresortedtocannibalism.Unfortunately,theysoondiscoveredthatthis
wasalsoamarketthathadbeencorneredbytheTriads.Shopsweresetupbehind
hospitalswherecorpseswerebutcheredforwhitemeat.Withnootheroption,
residentswereforcedtogiveawayeverythingtheyhadtofightoffthehunger.
WhiletheTriadswerenotoriousfordrugtrafficking,extortion,gambling,
prostitution,andloansharking,theopiumtradewasbyfartheirmostdominant
enterprise.Fromsmugglingtopeddling,alllevelsofthedrugeconomywerecontrolled
bytheTriads.TheJapaneseoccupationservedonlytoamplifyTriadgripondrug
circulation.SinceBritishsanctioneddistributionagenciesnolongerexisted,themarket
wascompletelycorneredandtakenover.


HongKongCityAdministration1970
ThesurrenderoftheJapanesein1945createdapowervacuumwhichwas
quicklyexploitedbytheTriads.Itwasduringthispostwarboomthatthe14KTriadand
SunYeeOnwereabletoflourishintobeingthemostpowerfulinthecity.
ThetumultoftheDominoEffectin1960sSoutheastAsiaservedasacatalystfor
someTriadstoseizepowerontheworldstage.TheMabrothers,MaSikyuandMa
Sikchunwereambitiousstreetpeddlerswhosoughttocreateanempireforthemselves
throughdirecttradewithopiumproducersintheinfamousGoldenTriangle.Inthe
junglesofSoutheastAsia,theMaswouldfindLiWenhuan,aChinesenationalistrebel
4

whowaspreparingtostrikeattheCommunistChinesemainland. Liextensively
manufacturedheroinasameansoffinancinghisarmyandwasdelightedtofindnew
buyersintheformoftheMabrothers.
Adealwasstruckbetweenthetwoworlds.Liwouldgivehisproducttosellin
HongKong,andtheMaswouldhelptheTaiwanesecausebyusingtheirextensive
connectionstoinfiltrateCommunistcirclesallacrossthemainland.Theuseofan
organizedcrimesyndicateasanespionagetoolforTaiwanwasrevolutionaryand
likewiseinfuriatedthebureaucratsinCommunistChina.
TheMasgrewextravagantlywealthybypeddlingLisheroinonthestreetsof
HongKong.Theythensafelylaunderedthemoneybysettingupanumberofprivate
enterprises,mostnotablytheOrientalDailyNews,aproTaiwanesenewspaperthat
swiftlybecamethemostpopularinHongKong.

Booth,Martin.TheDragonSyndicates:TheGlobalPhenomenonoftheTriads.NewYork:Carroll&
Graf,2000.
4


HongKongCityAdministration1970
Cominginto1972,boththeTriadsandtheherointheysoldbecameendemicin
thecityofHongKong.Thesegroupscomposedalmosttheentiretyoforganizedcrime
inthecityandwerealsolegallyrootedinprivatebusinessesandotherlegitimate
enterprises.Manywouldalsofindoutthatthecitygovernmentitself,mostnotablythe
policeforce,wasinfestedwithTriads.

QuestionstoConsider:
1. HowinvestedaretheTriadsinthecitygovernment?
2. IndealingwiththeTriads,isitwisertopursuetheirleadershiportheirlowlevel
members?
3. TheTriadsarelargelyresponsibleformovingdrugsfromSoutheastAsia.Who
arekeyplayerstoconsiderotherthantheTriads?


HongKongCityAdministration1970
CorruptionintheGovernment
Corruptioninthegovernmentfirsttooknoticeablerootinthe1960swhen
ChinasCulturalRevolutionseepedintothestreetsofHongKong.Communistardor
reachedafeverpitchasprotestersbegantoriotinfavorofMaoism.ThelocalTriads,
whodespisedcommunismandthethreatitposedtotheirlifestyles,becameinformers
forthepoliceforce.Thiscloserelationshipeventuallycametobearrottenfruit,as
Triadsinevitablybecamemoreinfluential.Soon,manypoliceofficers,cityemployees,
andbureaucratswereeitherTriadmembersordirectlyinthepocketofsuchan
5

organization.
Initially,governmentcorruptionwasonlyseenasaminutenuisanceaflythat
youlazilyattempttoswatafterafewminutesofindifference.TheBritishhaddifficulty
understandingthatcorruptionwaswovenintothefabricofChineselifelikeaholidayor
afolksong.Andwhyshouldtheyhavecaredthatthepolicewereinvolvedincrooked
dealings?Streetviolencewasvirtuallynonexistent,sexcrimeswerelimitedalmost
explicitlytoprostitution,andburglarywasalmostneveranissue.Untilthe1970s,
corruptionwasonlyseenasapettyfeeforadecentlifeinHongKong.
ItwasinthebeginningofthatdecadeinwhichAmericanprofessorAlfredMcCoy
wroteascathingbooktitledThePoliticsofHeroin.Init,hedetailedtheomnipresence
ofcorruptionintheHongKongpoliceforceandhowitwasproblematicforthecity.
Itsyourmissiontocleanupthegovernmentofcorruptofficials.Howthiswillbe
accomplishediscompletelyinyourcontrol.

Booth,Martin.TheDragonSyndicates:TheGlobalPhenomenonoftheTriads.NewYork:Carroll&
Graf,2000.


HongKongCityAdministration1970
QuestionstoConsider:
1. HowdoesthecultureofcorruptioninHongKongcomparetothecorruptionof
Westernbodies?
2. Howcanatrulyneutralinvestigativeentitybeestablishedtocountercorruption?
3. HowdoescorruptioncompareintheofficesheldbyEuropeans?

RelationswiththeUnitedKingdom
TheconclusionoftheFirstOpiumWarin1842sawtheQingdynastycedethe
6

islandofHongKongtotheBritish. TheBritishusedtheislandasameansofprojecting
thecrownspowerinthefareast.Excludingthemilitarypersonnelstationedthere,the
initialpopulationoftheisland(andKowloonPeninsula,whichtheBritishcontrolled
aftertheSecondOpiumWar)wasmeagerandcomprisedmostlyoffishermen.
ThetumultoftheTaipingrebellionandvariousactsofgodonthemainland
causedseveralChineserefugeestotakeshelterontheisland.
In1898,theBritishdesiredtoexpanditscontroltothelandssurroundingthe
islandofHongKong.TheQinggovernment,understandingthattheycouldnthopeto
stopaninvasion,buckledtodiplomaticpressureandcededtheterritoriestotheBritish
intheSecondConventionofPeking.Actually,theterritorieswereleasedtothecrown
for99yearsanarrogantdecisionthatunderestimatedthelongevityofChinesetenacity.
TheBritishruledHongKongasacrowncolony.Atthetopwasthegovernor,
whobarringtheJapaneseoccupationfrom19411945,wasaEuropeanmanappointed

Tsang,SteveYuiSang.ModernHistoryofHongKong.I.B.Tauris,2003.


HongKongCityAdministration1970
bythemonarch.HewasgivenexecutivepowerovertheCityAdministrationandserved
astheCommanderinChiefofthegarrison.Almostallhighlevelpositionsinthecity
7

governmentwereoccupiedbyEuropeans.

QuestionstoConsider:
1. CantheBritishgovernmentbeconsideredorcomparedtoameritocracy?Ifnot,
shouldameritocracybeimplementedinthecity?
2. Arethegoalsofthecolonialgovernmentsynonymouswiththegoalsofthe
citizensofHongKong?

KowloonWalledCity
Perhapsthemostvividembodimentofthepovertyanddespairforthelower
elementsofHongKongsocietywasthesettlementknownasKowloonWalledCity.
Withatotalareaofjust6.4acres,some33,000peoplewerehousedintheconfinesofits
concreteborders.Whileitsresidentsmostlytriedtokeeptothemselves,organized
crimestillfoundafootholdintheblock.Servingasastrongholdforbothpovertyand
illegalactivity,KowloonWalledCitystoodasanobstacletogovernmentofficialstrying
tomaintainacleanimageforthecity.
In1898,BritainacquiredlandsurroundingtheislandofHongKongfromthe
QinggovernmentinaccordancetotheSecondConventionofPeking.However,the
ChinesewereunwillingtocedeamilitaryfortificationintheKowloonareaknownasthe

Rioni,S.G.PoliticsandEconomicsofHongKong.Commack,NY:NovaSciencePublishers,1997.

10


HongKongCityAdministration1970
WalledCity.EvenaftertheBritishmilitarywrestledcontrolfromameagergarrison
forcein1899,theChinesewouldcontinuetoclaimownershipoftheWalledCity.
FollowingtheSecondWorldWar,thousandsofrefugeesflockedtothecityand
discoveredthattheBritishgovernmentwouldmostlyignorethem.Inthislowrent
citadelfarfromtheislandofHongKong,anantiBritishculturewasincubated.The
newcitizensrejectedcolonialruleandconsideredthemselvestobesovereign.Any
attemptbytheBritishtoconsolidatecontrolovertheWalledCityresultedinneedless
violenceandfailure.Thisultimatelyledthemtoadoptahandsoffapproachtothe
8

settlement.
Astheyearspassed,theverypoorestofHongKongsocietypackedthemselves
intotheWalledCityandbegantoforgeastrongsenseofcommunityinadditiontoa
closed,selfsustainingeconomy.Thiscommunalidentityromanticizedthehardships
thatwereendured.ItwastotheWalledCityinwhichitsresidentsbecametethered,
craftinganunbreakablelinktothecrampedhallsthatcouldntevenbedentedbyBritish
evacuationattempts.
Questionstoconsider:
1. WhatistherelationshiplikebetweenKowloonWalledCitysinnocentand
criminalinhabitants?
2. HowcantheopinionsofthepeoplewholiveinKowloonWalledCityregarding
thecolonialgovernmentbeswayed?

Tsang,SteveYuiSang.ModernHistoryofHongKong.I.B.Tauris,2003.

11


HongKongCityAdministration1970
3. WhatfuelstheintensebelongingthattheresidentsfeeltowardKowloonWalled
City?

PrivateEnterprise
Attheonsetofthe1970s,HongKongwasamanufacturingeconomymuchlike
therestofChina.Unfortunately,thistypeofeconomyisproblematicforacityseeking
modernization.Workersfoundthatfactorywageswereharshandtheindustrialsystem
didntprovidetheupwardmobilitynecessaryforafirstworldeconomy.IfHongKong
wastosurviveinthelate20thcentury,itneededtoorientitselftoskillbasedlabor.
Fortunately,thereweretwooptionsforHongKongthatcouldreapgreatbenefit.These
cameintheformofglobaltrade,andforeigninvestment.
PriortotheChineseCivilWar,HongKongservedasanentreptaportcity
wherelongdistancegoodscouldarriveandbedistributedtomainlandChina.The
harboritselfwasunparalleledduetoitsexcellentlocationandgeographicbenefits.
Existingattheveryheartoftheeast,theportattractedtheattentionoftradershailing
frombothEuropeandtheMiddleEast.Unfortunately,HongKongstoppedpumping
goodstothemainlandin1949withtheascensionofMaoZedong.Chinaseconomy
wouldbecomeseeminglyforeverclosedofftothewesternworld.However,asudden
reversaloftheireconomicisolationpolicywouldprovefruitfulforthegrowthofHong
Kongasaserviceeconomy.

12


HongKongCityAdministration1970
Inthelatterhalfofthe20thcentury,HongKongbecameheavilyinvolvedinoutward
9

ForeignDirectInvestments(FDI). AnFDIisageneraltermforaninvestmentthata
bodymakesinacompanylocatedinaforeigncountry.HongKongwasauniqueentity
inthatitwasdirectlycontrolledbyaEuropeanpowerwhilehavingclosetiesto
enterpriseintheeasternworld.Thisrelationshipbetweenthetwohalvesoftheplanet
madeHongKonganidealmiddlemanforwesterncompaniesattemptingtoinvestin
Asianmarkets.

QuestionstoConsider:
1. Istherearelationshipbetweenmanufacturingandthetwoaspectsofthe
economydescribed?
2. Howdothewarsinthesoutheastaffecttheeconomicclimateoftheentire
region?
3. Shouldamorallyresponsibleapproachbetakenwhenexpandingtherealestate
market?

Sung,YunWing,andKarYiuWong."GrowthofHongKongBeforeandAfterItsReversiontoChina:The

ChinaFactor."PacificEconomicRevPacificEconomicReview5.2(2000):20128.Web.

13


HongKongCityAdministration1970
NotablePoliticalEntitiesOutsideofHongKong

PeoplesRepublicofChina
ChinaisaCommunistautocracyledbyMaoZedong.WhileChinahasno
politicalauthorityinHongKong,theyhaveavestedinterestinthecityduetothe
99yearleasethatwouldreturnHongKongtothemainlandin1997.

Taiwan
Taiwan,ortheRepublicofChina,isanislandnationformedbyChinese
nationalistexpatriatesfromthecivilwar.Thecountrywasnotoriousforharboring
fugitiveTriadmembers,whichfurtherincensedrelationswithmainlandChina.Tothis
10

day,TaiwanmaintainsacloserelationshipwiththeUnitedStates.

TheGoldenTriangle
TheGoldenTriangleisamountainousregionthatpartiallyspansthecountriesof
Laos,Myanmar,andThailand.Atthetime,thisareawasthelargestmanufacturerof
heroinintheworld.Thenarcoticsproducedherewereproducedbyaclusterofwarlords
11

andrebelfactions.

10

Kang,Yuchin."TaiwanCulturalLife."EncyclopediaBritannicaOnline.AccessedJuly31,2016.
"TheGoldenTriangle."ThaiHorseFarm:GoldenTrianglebetweenThailand,BurmaandLaos.Accessed
July31,2016.
11

14


HongKongCityAdministration1970
RecommendedResearchTools
Generally,youcanalwaysusedatabasessuchasGoogleScholartosearchfor
academicjournalsaboutHongKong.Additionally,thereisinformationtobehadby
lookingWikipediaandotherwikisites,butIurgeyoutoonlyusetheseasaspringboard
intofurtherresearch.Thisisabrieflistofexternalsourcesyoucanusetoaugmentyour
researchbeyondthisBackgroundGuide:
1. TheSecondConventionofPeking(1898)outlinesthenatureoftheBritishlease
ofHongKong.
2. TheDragonSyndicates:TheGlobalPhenomenonoftheTriadsbyMartinBooth
3. AModernHistoryofHongKongbySteveTsangYuiSang

Bibliography
Booth,Martin.TheDragonSyndicates:TheGlobalPhenomenonoftheTriads.New
York:Carroll&Graf,2000.Print.
Ingham,Mike.HongKong:ACulturalHistory.Oxford:OxfordUP,2007.Print.
Kang,Yuchin."TaiwanCulturalLife."EncyclopediaBritannicaOnline.
AccessedJuly31,2016.
Rioni,S.G.PoliticsandEconomicsofHongKong.Commack,NY:NovaScience,1997.
Print.
Sung,YunWing,andKarYiuWong."GrowthofHongKongBeforeandAfterIts
ReversiontoChina:TheChinaFactor."PacificEconomicRevPacificEconomic

15


HongKongCityAdministration1970
Review5.2(2000):20128.Web.
"TheGoldenTriangle."ThaiHorseFarm:GoldenTrianglebetweenThailand,Burma
andLaos.AccessedJuly31,2016.
Tsang,SteveYuiSang.AModernHistoryofHongKong.London:I.B.Tauris,2004.
Print.

16

We appreciate your feedback about our conference. Please

direct all inquiries and comments to our Secretary-General.
Gary DePalo
Secretary-General
vamun.sg@gmail.com
You can also contact us at the mailing address below:
VAMUN c/o The International Relations Organization at
the University of Virginia
PO Box 400435
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