ByZhangAndiHongKong'sreturntothemotherlandmarkedthebeginningofanewerafortheregion.Overthepast25years,withthefullsupportofthecountryandthejointeffortsoftheHKSARgovernmentandpeoplefromallwalksoflifeinHongKong,thesuccessof"onecountry,twosystems"haswonrecognitionthroughouttheworld.Let'shearwhatHongKongerswanttosayaboutthe25yearsgrowingwithHongKong.YeChaoji:AsatraditionalHongKonger,IlovethecitydeeplyandsupportourmotherlandIwasbornonJune3,1956inMongkokofHongKong,andhavebeenstudyingandlivinginKowloonsincethen.IgraduatedfromEnglishsecondaryschool,aftergraduation,Ihaveworkedmanyjobsasaclerkandworkedforstockexchangesandfundhouses,thenaninsurancesalesman,Ievenjoinedthepolice,atthetimetheRoyalHongKongPoliceForce.Ieventuallyendeduponajobinatradingcompany,andlatersetupmyowncompany,andwentbacktothemainlandtoopenmyownfactory.Uptillnow,I’vemainlybeendoingimportandexporttrade.Ihadbeenstayingoverseastotakecareofmybusinessbefore1997.ThoughholdingtheHongKongBNOPassport,fewpeopleknewwhatHongKongwasbackthen.Atsomeplaces,wewerenotpaidwell,nordidwefeelrespected.IknowmanyfellowChineseinLondon’sChinatownandIseetoomanyofusarenottreatedequallyinsociety.Wegetthemostchallengingjobinthecompany,butwe’reontopofthelistwheneverthereisalayoff,it’simpossibleforustobecomepartofthewhitesociety.ManyChinesepeopleoverseasgotangrywhentalkingaboutit.IthoughttomyselfthenthatIdidnotwantmyownchildrentogrowupinsuchanenvironment,soIshutdowntherestaurantinLondonandsoldmyhousethere.WhenHongKongreturnedtoChinain1997,IwasinHongKongandwatcheditliveonTV.Itwasanexcitingmoment.Notallthepeoplethoughtitpositivelybackthen,andsomeofmyfriendsevenleftHongKong.IhadlivedallovertheworldandIchosetobearealChineseperson.IliketostudyChinesehistoryandIknowthesignificanceofHongKong’sreturntothemotherlandasaformerBritishcolony.Fromthatdayon,IfeltI’vebecomeaChineseinrealsense,andI’mmorethanhappyforthat.NomatteritwastheOccupyCentralorstreetviolence,peopleofmygenerationasHongKongerswhowerebornandraisedhere,wehateit.We’resaddenedtoseethedamagetheybroughttoHongKong.That’swhyafterthe“NationalSecurityLaw”cameout,peoplearoundmeandmyfamilywereactuallyvery,veryrelieved.Someoftheyounggeneration,infact,asweknowverywellthattheywerebeingusedbyothers,andtheydidn’tknowwhattheyweredoingatthetime.TheoldergenerationofHongKongpeople,likeme,weshareastrongemotionalbondwithHongKongandwe’reinfullsupportofourmotherland.123456NextPageLastPage61Editor:DisclaimerTheviewsandopinionsexpressedinthisarticlearethoseoftheauthor's,GMW.cnmakesnorepresentationsastoaccuracy,suitability,orvalidityofanyinformationonthissiteandwillnotbeliableforanyerrors,omissions,ordelaysinthisinformation.