THE CHANGING NATURE OF PUBLIC-ADMINISTRATION IN HONG-KONG - PAST, PRESENT, FUTURE

Hong Kong has undergone significant changes in the last two decades, a nd their impacts have been visible on the economic and political aspec ts of life. As the territory became prosperous, political system refor ms had to be introduced in order to keep pace with the changes in soci ety. At the same time, it was necessary to introduce changes in the pu blic administration system. Hong Kong's scheduled reversal of sovereig nty to China has added to the scenario's complexity, as the transforma tion from a British colony to a Special Administrative Region of the P eople's Republic of China entails delicate balance in planning reforms . This paper considers the administrative reform attempts made in Hong Kong. Beginning with the 1989 public sector reform document, there ha ve been a number of noticeable changes in public administration proces s and values. An examination of previous and recent attempts indicates that changes have been largely influenced by political considerations and the tendency to emulate practices from elsewhere, while the genui ne needs of society may have been neglected. There have been correspon ding changes in the objectives, strategies, and style adopted by the g overnment and public administrators. This paper will try to note the n ature of the recent changes within Hong Kong's public administration, changes which will naturally have implications on the relationship of Hong Kong with its neighbors, including the Republic of China.