Translation of the speech by Ji Pengfei at the inauguration of
the Basic Law Consultative Committee on December 18, 1985
The Honourable chairman Mr T.K. Ann, The Honourable vice-chairmen, the
Honourable BLCC members:
My colleagues and I are very happy to have the opportunity to attend the inauguration ceremony of the Consultative Committee for the Basic Law of the HK Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China today.
At its first meeting in July this year, the Basic Law Drafting
Committee decided to ask its 25 members in IK to organise the establishment of the BLCC. Following efforts in the past few months by the convenors and people from various sectors of the community, the BLCC is today formally inaugurated. Please allow me to extend on behalf of the Basic Law Drafting Committee warm congratulations on the BLCC's inauguration and wish the BLCC victory in completing the mission placed upon it by history.
As HK has entered a new era, a lot of work has to be done in the
transition period. An important task in the transition that the HK community in general is concerned about is the drafting of the Basic Law. According to the general blueprint outlined at the first meeting of the BLDC, the drafting work is expected to take four to five years and efforts will be made to have a draft ready in the first half of 1990. This draft will be published after study and approval by the National People's Congress. The drafting of the Basic Law will proceed in the following stages: (1) The second meeting of the BLDC will be held in April next year when the structure and the main contents of the Basic Law will be studied and determined, a decision will be made on the special topics to be discussed, and the actual drafting work will then commence. (2) Discussions on the special topics and the drafting work will continue in 1986 and 1987. The initial draft is expected to be ready by early 1988 and will be published for public comment. (3) The initial draft will be amended in 1988. The amended draft will be submitted to the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress for examination, after which it will be placed before the public, particularly HK compatriots, for comments and suggestions. (4) The draft of the Basic Law will be further amended in accordance with the views collected. It will be submitted to the NPC for approval and is expected to be promulgated in the first half of 1990.