The Hong Kong Diaries

By: Chris Patten

Narrated by: Chris Patten

Length: 25 hrs and 41 mins

Publisher's summary

Brought to you by Penguin.

In June 1992, Chris Patten went to Hong Kong as the last British governor, to try to prepare it not—as other British colonies over the decades—for independence, but for handing back in 1997 to the Chinese, from whom most of its territory had been leased 99 years previously. Over the next five years, he kept this diary, which describes in detail how Hong Kong was run as a British colony and what happened as the handover approached. The book gives unprecedented insights into negotiating with the Chinese, about how the institutions of democracy in Hong Kong were (belatedly) strengthened and how Patten sought to ensure that a strong degree of self-government would continue after 1997. Unexpectedly, his opponents included not only the Chinese themselves, but some British businessmen and civil service mandarins upset by Patten's efforts, for whom political freedom and the rule of law in Hong Kong seemed less important than keeping on the right side of Beijing. The book concludes with an account of what has happened in Hong Kong since the handover, a powerful assessment of recent events and Patten's reflections on how to deal with China—then and now.

©2022 Chris Patten (P)2022 Penguin Audio

Lost but never forgotten

Highly insIghtful, providing a detail encounters and experiences in Hong Kong, but he repeats himself multiple times.

Amazing book, a great historical memoir

I have recommended this book to everyone I know that is interested in Asia. An incredible perspective from the last British governor of Hong Kong. The HK diaries is at its heart a book about diplomacy and the dealings between the UK and China in the final years of British Hong Kong. Patten has an interesting and insightful perspective on the end or the British Empire as a moderate conservative of Irish Catholic heritage. The book shows how China will lie and manipulate in diplomacy in order to get what it wants, and when China gets any concession it perceives them as weakness and demands more.

Patten deserves a place in the history books for his admirable attempts to bring democracy to Hong Kong in the closing days of British rule. Patten did this against the wishes of the home office and much of his own party. In Pattens quest for democracy he makes enemies of several great figures of his generation who supported stability such as Lee Kuan Yew, Rupert Murdoch, and head of Jardine Matheson, Henry Keswick. In a great line Patten says that Keswick “will never forgive him for failing to understand the purpose of the British Empire was to make Keswick money.”

In the end this is a tragic story as nearly every thing Patten accomplished in the way of democratization was thrown out by the incoming Chinese and Hong Kong fell into a state of oppression described in the end of the book. I personally was tear gassed and baton charged in one of the protests described in a final chapter and Pattens words on that issue hit me hard.

This book is also historically relevant as a great historical record of the final setting of the sun on the British Empire. Despite Pattens modern liberal views and Irish identity he still fits the mold of a great old British colonial official. Patten had incredible power over the city and great autonomy in his actions, he alone could improvise and set policy even against the wishes of many in London to do what he thought right. Patten should be remembered as the last great British colonial governor. Ultimately I would recommend this book to anyone with an interest in politics, history, or Asia, it was a book I will never forget.

Extraordinary

My first experience of finishing a book with Audible, highly recommended for those who are interested to learn about this lovely city and what has been happening in the past decades.
Excellent narration by Sir Pattern as well ,salute!