With all the current international economic woes from Ireland to Greece, from Japan to the United States, Hong Kong holds an exceptional position. Largely autonomous since the UK handed it back to China in 1997, the city has accumulated a surplus equal to eighteen months’ government spending. Statistics tell the story: The Hong Kong economy grew 5 percent last year; spending on education will increase 7 percent this year; retail sales grew 23 percent in the past year; and, even as the government predicts economic growth will slow down because of the sluggish world economy, the city’s budget