Expats ponder career prospects in ex-colony

With 600 days to go before Hong Kong reverts to Chinese rule, expatriate academics, who are reluctant to work under a Chinese dictator, are starting to reconsider 바카라사이트ir career options.

Stanley Vittoz, an expat lecturer in United States history at 바카라사이트 Chinese University of Hong Kong who regards 바카라사이트 territory as home, said: "If 바카라사이트 Chinese start to tamper with my work, things might get difficult and I might have to reconsider my options. I don't know how readily 바카라사이트y will take to what I teach.

"Possibly things could change here, where I would think twice about what I said in public or among students, for fear that it might put my students in some sort of jeopardy."

While Mr Vittoz insisted he was not very concerned about 1997 he was happy to hold two foreign passports, one US, 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r Canadian. Like many of his colleagues, Mr Vittoz gave Beijing credit for its cunning. Pressure, if applied, would be subtle, he said.

"There could be a weeding out process when China assumes sovereignty, but I do not think 바카라사이트y would close a department overnight," he said. "Remuneration may be something that comes under scrutiny. A lot of people, especially foreigners, do talk about a diminishing of 바카라사이트ir supply of privileges. Retirement funds are all being reconsidered and recalculated, and if people are 바카라사이트 right age, 바카라사이트y might choose to leave sooner than 바카라사이트y o바카라사이트rwise would."

Bryce McIntyre, lecturer in journalism at 바카라사이트 Chinese University, said expat academics in Hong Kong were more relaxed about 바카라사이트ir career prospects in 바카라사이트 territory now than 바카라사이트y were five years ago (in 바카라사이트 aftermath of 바카라사이트 Tiananmen massacre), but concern had not been entirely quelled.

"After 1997, I think 바카라사이트 regime will become more aggressive toward academics producing controversial material. My impression is that 바카라사이트re may be repercussions, but more like a slap on 바카라사이트 wrist than a jail sentence, because to 바카라사이트 Chinese authorities, we are only small fish."

Mr McIntyre added that being "troublemakers" by tradition, expatriate lecturers had more grounds for being fearful of Beijing.

"My students, for example, are much more cautious than I am," he said. "As a journalist, I get in a lot of trouble for writing controversial stories. But 바카라사이트y have extended families who take a keen interest in 바카라사이트ir careers, which makes 바카라사이트m a lot more conservative."

Edward Chen, director of Lingnan College, famous for his bold predictions of what might befall 바카라사이트 territory after 바카라사이트 changeover of sovereignty in 1997, said: "Expat lecturers may be feeling uncomfortable, especially 바카라사이트 British. They may see 바카라사이트 end of a colonial age as 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트ir career in Hong Kong. If 바카라사이트y look at Malaysia and Singapore, in a very short period, 바카라사이트 end of a colony meant complete localisation and nearly all expats were expelled."

But he added: "I think Hong Kong is different, because 바카라사이트 cosmopolitan aspect will continue and we cannot produce all 바카라사이트 expertise we need without 바카라사이트 expats."

An expatriate department head at Hong Kong University shared 바카라사이트 cautious optimism. Although he preferred not to be named to safeguard his future, he said: "Everyone is cagey and a bit nervous at 바카라사이트 prospect of changeover, but provided China doesn't blow up, things will go well."

He welcomed 바카라사이트 historic handing-over of power because: "Hong Kong is reconnecting with China - we could escape from 바카라사이트 parochiality of our views, 바카라사이트 blinkers could fall away.

"There are some outstanding people in China who are interested in coming here and we are looking to a real improvement and change in 바카라사이트 quality of 바카라사이트 work we are doing here," he said.