8. AS REGARDS THE DEVELOPMENT OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT IT IS
IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT HONG KONG HAS NOW A HIGHLY
DEVELOPED CAPITALIST ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL SYSTEM. OVER THE LAST 10
OR 15 YEARS THAT SYSTEM HAS COME BOTH TO NEED AND TO PRODUCE A HIGHLY EDUCATED AND PROFESSIONAL MIDDLE CLASS OF ENGINEERS, LAWYERS, ACCOUNTANTS, BANKERS, MANAGERS AND COMMUNICATIONS EXPERTS. AS EDUCATION HAS PROGRESSED PEOPLE HAVE COME TO TAKE A MUCH GREATER AND MORE ARTICULATE INTEREST IN THE PROCESS OF GOVERNMENT AND HAVE SOUGHT TO PLAY A GREATER ROLE IN GOVERNMENT. THE DEMAND FOR SUCH PARTICIPATION WOULD HAVE GROWN IRRESPECTIVE OF 1997. WE BELIEVE THAT, FAR FROM THREATENING STABILITY, WE HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE MAINTENANCE OF STABILITY BY RESPONDING TO THAT DEMAND. THE PROFESSIONAL MIDDLE CLASSES WHO ARE ESSENTIAL TO HONG KONG'S ECONOMY WILL NOT STAY IN A SOCIETY WHICH DOES NOT MEET THE IP ASPIRATIONS. OUR AIM IS BY SHOWING THEM THEIR ASPIRATIONS CAN
BE MET TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO STAY.
9. THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT TOO WILL HAVE TO PLAY ITS PART IN CONVINCING THIS PROFESSIONAL CLASS THAT THEIR ASPIRATIONS WILL
BE MET.
10. NEVERTHELESS, WE HAVE PROCEEDED VERY CAUTIOUSLY. WE HAVE SO FAR INTRODUCED ONLY LIMITED INDIRECT ELECTIONS AND HAVE BEEN ROUNDLY CRITICISED BY SOME MORE RADICAL ELEMENTS FOR IT. WE HAVE
MADE CLEAR THAT WE WISH TO SEE HOW THE PRESENT ARRANGEMENTS WORK BEFORE TAKING THE NEXT STEP WHICH WILL BE FOR REVIEW IN 1987. THE CHINESE THEMSELVES HAVE SET UP A SYSTEM OF CONSULTATION THROUGH THE
BASIC LAW DRAFING COMMITTEE AND BASIC LAW CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE, WHICH WE WELCOME. THIS WILL IN ITSELF GENERATE A GREAT DEAL OF DISCUSSION ON THE KIND OF STRUCTURE HONG KONG SHOULD HAVE. WE HAVE AT THE PRESENT MOMENT NO IDEA OF THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT'S ATTITUDE TO THAT CONSULTATIVE PROCESS, NOP WHAT ISSUES THEY EXPECT TO BE COVERED IN THE CONSULTATION. WE ARE NOT SEEKING TO RUSH THEM BUT IT MUST BE OBVIOUS TO THEM THAT THESE MATTERS ARE NOW OF VERY
GREAT INTEREST IN HONG KONG.
1. WE RECONISE THAT THERE CAN BE NO EARLY DECISIONS AND
INDEED THESE DECISIONS SHOULD NOT BE TAKEN WITHOUT CAREFUL CONSIDERATION AND WIDE CONSULTATION. WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE, DURING THE TRANSITIONAL PERIOD, THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT KEEPING AN OPEN MIND ABOUT THE PRECISE METHODS BY WHICH THE MEMBERSHIP OF
CONSTITUENT PARTS OF THE GOVERNMENT REFERRED TO IN SECTION I OF
ANNEX I TO THE JOINT DECLARATION SHOULD BE GENERATED. BOTH INSIDE
AND OUTSIDE THE BLDC AND BLCC, THERE WILL BE A CONSIDERABLE FERMENT
OF IDEAS ABOUT HONG KONG'S STRUCTURE OF GOVERNMENT. THE BRITISH SIDE
WILL NOT BE FERMENTING THIS DEBATE: IT WILL HAPPEN NATUPALLY.
THE RESULTS OF SEPTEMBER'S LEGCO ELECTIONS AND THE SHORT EXPERIENCE
THUS FAR OF THE NEW LEGCO, INDICATE THAT THIS DEBATE WILL BE OPEN,
SINCERE AND RESPONSIBLE.
CONFIDENTIAL