East and West: China, Power, and the Future of Asia

Blurb

East and West is a 1998 book by the British politician Christopher Patten about his experiences as the last governor of Hong Kong. In this book, he attempts to provide insights into the last years of British colonial rule in Hong Kong, and defends his decision of introducing the controversial representative democracy into the region. In the second part of the book he argues that some Asian economies had outgrown their political structures and reforms are needed for stability and economic growth. He further asserts that the so-called Asian values are nothing more than a euphemism for legitimising the totalitarian regimes.
Patten's introduction of representative democracy into Hong Kong during his governorship induced scathing criticism from the Chinese authority and he was described by high-ranking Chinese officials as "whore of the East", a "serpent" and a "criminal who would be condemned for a thousand generations".