Experts Gather to Explore Political and Economic Issues 
SYMPOSIUM TO EXAMINE HONG KONG'S REVERSION TO CHINA 

	CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va., March 19 -- In approximately 100 days,
Hong Kong will revert from British rule to the People's Republic of
China. 
	Hong Kong plays a vital role in today's global economy.  A
British colony for most of the past century, Hong Kong established a
strong and solid capitalistic economy.  Shortly, this small but
prominent state will join China as a Special Administrative Region.
This momentous event will usher China into the new millennium,
bringing with it sweeping changes in international economic and
political affairs. 
	The Student Council of the University of Virginia is
sponsoring a symposium titled "Hong Kong 1997:  Today and Tomorrow,"
which focuses on issues related to the upcoming reversion of Hong Kong
to China.  The symposium will be held on Saturday, March 22, from 9
a.m. to 5 p.m. in U.Va.'s Wilson Hall Auditorium (Room 402). 
	The public is invited to the symposium, which is free of
charge.  But reservations are required for the luncheon featuring
keynote speaker John Kamm. Space at the lunch is limited and will be
allocated on a first-come-first-served basis.  The cost of the lunch,
to be paid the day of the symposium, is $8 a person.
	The discussions will cover the following areas:  Issues Facing
Hong Kong Today; Hong Kong's Politics in Transition; Hong Kong's
Economy and Society; and Hong Kong, Greater China, Asia, and the
World. 
	The following speakers are scheduled to participate: 
	¥ William Dorrill - president, Longwood College, Farmville,
Va.
	¥ Chi-An Hu - professor of international relations and law,
Beijing University; Visiting Scholar, University of California at
Berkeley, Calif. 
	¥ Christopher Jackson - minister, Hong Kong Economic and
Trade Office, Washington, D.C.
	¥ John Kamm - president, Asia Pacific Resources, Inc., San
Francisco, Calif.
	¥ Francis Sham - retired Hong Kong journalist and educator,
Calif.
	¥ Robert Sutter - senior specialist in international
politics, Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress,
Washington, D.C. 
	¥ James Tang - professor, Department of Politics and Public
Administration, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong. 
	¥ Brantly Womack - director, East Asia Center, U.Va.;
professor, Department of Government and Foreign Affairs, U.Va.
###
March 18, 1997
	For more information, contact Dean Kwon at (804) 982-6070, or
via e-mail at deankwon@virginia.edu. Television reporters should call
our TV News Office at (804) 924-7550.