Chris Patten, Hong Kong’s last British governor, gained popularity for his deft touch with the masses and for his pro-democracy credentials. Although residing in Europe since 1997, he remains high-profile as a best-selling author.
In December 2005 and again in July 2006, Patten returned for frenzied book-signing events in support of his political commentary, Not Quite the Diplomat (Allen Lane, 324 pages). Hong Kong people responded by mobbing the bookstores. Clearly, they cared more about greeting their heroic ex-governor than about reading his book.
Yet Patten, once a Tory politician, delivers an enjoyable read. Always thoughtful and frequently humorous, he mixes elements of memoirs with barbed remarks to serve up “home truths about world affairs”. As a primary theme, he argues that the George W. Bush administration in Washington and that of Tony Blair in Britain follow misguided foreign policies. Perhaps that’s a tad like stating the obvious.
What a pity that the opinionated author failed to pontificate more forcefully for legitimate democracy in Hong Kong. However, he does write: “If China’s leaders were to learn to trust Hong Kong, it would be an important step on the road towards managing, with wisdom, sophistication and the prospect of a successful outcome, the political transition that China herself one day must make.”
Patten penned two previous books, The Tory Case (1983) followed by East and West (1998). The latest effort, Not Quite the Diplomat, counts as his best work. In Hong Kong, millions of admirers await his next visit, possibly to promote a fourth book.
Approval rating: 89 per cent.
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