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C
SECRET
Redacted under FOI exemption 27(1)
7.
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
till be open to move towards full direct elections at a later
date if this course was, favoured by the Hong Kong community.
FACTORS TO BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT
8.
In assessing the right features for any new system, the
following factors need to be taken into account:
(a)
(b)
(c)
Of
The elective system in Hong Kong is in its infancy. the 2.7 million qualified to register only 33 per cent
have done so and of those only 39 per cent participated
in 1982/83 Urban Council and District Board elections.
It is likely to take time for a sufficiently large body
of suitably qualified candidates for election to emerge.
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.
M
(a)
However, the Chinese would not
necessarily seek to frustrate all moves in the direction
of greater democracy.
The need to avoid a rapid polarisation of the community, with the danger of political rivalries (eg pro-China and pro-Taiwan) irrelevant to Hong Kong's real concerns.
ECRET
/(e) The