(111) THE GOVERNOR TO BE DIRECTLY ELECTED..
5. ONCE A SYSTEM OF INDIRECT ELECTION TO THE LEGISLATIVE AND EXECUTIVE COUNCILS FROM A BODY OF CANDIDATES WHO HAD THEMSELVES BEEN DIRECTLY ELECTED TO LOWER LEVEL BODIES HAD BEEN ESTABLISHED, THE WAY WOULD STILL BE OPEN TO MOVE TOWARDS FULL DIRECT ELEC- TIONS AT A LATER DATE IF THIS COURSE WAS FAVOURED BY THE HONG KONG
COMMUNITY.
FACTORS TO BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT
6. IN ASSESSING THE RELATIVE MERITS OF THE ABOVE OPTIONS, THE FOLLOWING FACTORS NEED TO BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT:
(A) THE ELECTIVE SYSTEM IN HONG KONG IS IN ITS INFANCY. OF THE 2.7 MILLION QUALIFIED TO REGISTER ONLY 33 PER CENT HAVE DONE SO AND OF THOSE ONLY 39 PER CENT PARTICIPATED IN 1981/82 URBAN
COUNCIL AND DISTRICT BOARD ELECTIONS.
(B) IT IS LIKELY TO TAKE TIME FOR A SUFFICIENTLY LARGE BODY OF SUITABLY QUALIFIED CANDIDATED FOR ELECTION TO EMERGE.
(C) THE ATTITUDE OF THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT. THIS HAS ALWAYS BEEN CONSIDERED A MAJOR OBSTACLE TO THE INTRODUCTION OF A MORE REPRESENTATIVE SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT IN HONG KONG. THE CHINESE HAVE NOW INDICATED THAT THEY ENVISAGE SOME FORM OF ELECTIVE OR CONSULTATIVE PROCESS FOR THE ELECTION OF THE GOVERNOR/CHIEF EXECUTIVE POST - 1997. THE CHINESE HAVE ALSO SUPPORTED CALLS BY GROUPS IN HONG KONG FOR A GREATER DEGREE OF DEMOCRACY. DURING HIS MEETING WITH SIR P CRADOCK ON 19 DECEMBER, JI PENGFEI SPECIFICALLY SAID THAT QUOTE DEMOCRACY SHOULD BE PROMOTED UNQUOTE BUT APPEARED TO BE OPPOSED TO THE IMMEDIATE INTRO- DUCTION OF ELECTIONS IN HONG KONG. HOWEVER, THE CHINESE WOULD NOT NECESSARILY SEEK TO FRUSTRATE ALL MOVES IN THE DIRECTION OF
GREATER DEMOCRACY.
(D) IT WILL BE NECESSARY TO AVOID A RAPID POLARISATION OF THE COMMUNITY, WITH THE DANCER OF POLITICAL RIVALRIES (E.G. PRO- CHINA AND PRO-TAIWAN) IRRELEVANT TO HONG KONG'S REAL CONCERNS.
(E) THE ADVANTAGE IN TERMS OF STABILITY IN BUILDING AS FAR AS POSSIBLE ON EXISTING INSTITUTIONS.
POSSIBLE NEXT STEPS
7. MEMBERS ARE CONSIDERING XCX(83). ... ON THE FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF THE DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION SYSTEM. THE PROPOSAL TO EXTEND THE ELECTIVE SYSTEM AT URBAN COUNCIL LEVEL THROUGH THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A SECOND REGIONAL COUNCIL WITH AT LEAST HALF ITS MEMBERS DIRECTLY ELECTED WOULD CREATE A TEHRITORY-WIDE CONSTITUENCY BASED ELECTIVE SYSTEM AT BOTH DISTRICT BOARD AND URBAN COUNCIL LEVEL. THE SAME CONSTITUENCIES, OR COMBINATIONS OF THEM, COULD BE
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