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　　1992年的6月，彭定康赴港就任，成為香港末代總督，他任期中的最大任務，即是籌備香港主權移交事宜。在接下來的五年，他持續在這本日記中，紀錄了香港政府的運作細節、主權移交的過程與背後的各方角力。

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　　這部作品提供了對於這個重要歷史事件的第一手觀察，並記述了香港民主制度深化的進程，以及彭定康對於確保香港在1997年後仍能維持高度自治，所付出的努力──在這段期間他所遭遇到的意外阻力，不僅來自於中國人，甚至包含英國商人與公務員。

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　　以主權移交後在香港所發生之事作結，本書是理解香港歷史與近年情勢的必讀之作，對於如何在當時與現時和中國打交道，彭定康亦在其中留下了個人見解。(文/博客來編譯)

　　The diaries of the last British Governor of Hong Kong, published on the 25th anniversary of the handover



　　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 Pattens 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 Pattens reflections on how to deal with China - then and now.